Once Upon A Time
by LoneWolfSkye
Summary: Set in the Silver Millennium. This story follows the lives of Princess Serenity and her guards in the three years leading up to the end of the Silver Empire and the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. AU Pairings: Rei/Minako Ami/Makoto
1. Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

* * *

Chapter 1: Meeting

Serenity

Princess Serenity sat up straight and folded her hands neatly in her lap, trying to match her mother's regal composure. Inside, however, she was bursting with excitement.

The Counsel of Planets had met the week before. Serenity hadn't been allowed to attend, but she'd been told that the seers of Mars had seen an omen. In three years a threat would come that would put the entire Silver Empire at risk, particularly the royal family of the Moon. After several months of negotiations and meetings, it had been decided that one princess from each planet would be sent to the moon to become the princess's royal guard.

Ever since hearing this, the princess herself had been giddy with excitement. _My own personal guard! _All week she'd been daydreaming about what they would be like. She really didn't have any friends her own age. She always had her mother, of course, and Setsuna, who was like a second mother most of the time. Luna and Artemis were alright in a bossy sort of way. But these girls were all around fourteen years old, just like her! And today she would finally get to meet them! They were being introduced now at the dinner and later they would become better acquainted during the ball being held in their honor. She'd been to many balls before, but never one with so many people from other planets!

A hand touched her shoulder and she looked up to her left to see Setsuna smiling in a way that was both indulgent and warning. "I understand you're excited, Princess, but try to remember your lessons. Royalty does not bounce at the dinner table or shred napkins."

Serenity flushed as she placed the napkin pieces into Setsuna's outstretched hand. She hadn't even realized what her hands had been doing. She started to apologize but Setsuna patted her shoulder affectionately and gestured for her to be quiet as the doors of the main hall opened. She straightened in her seat again and tried to contain herself as trumpets sounded.

"Presenting, Michiru, Princess of Neptune!"

A striking girl in a long flowing blue gown entered. She had waves of beautiful aqua hair and seemed to float down the stairs. She approached the table and inclined her head to them before stopping behind a chair a few seats down from them. Serenity craned her neck for a better look but snapped her attention back to the doors as the trumpets sounded again.

"Presenting, Haruka, Princess of Uranus!"

The next to emerge had short blonde hair and wore a black suit. There was a hint of green at the collar and a sea green sash tied around her waist. She strode confidently up and bowed deeply to the queen. Serenity blushed slightly when the princess bowed to her too before standing behind a chair next to Neptune. Princess? She looked more like a prince… _A handsome prince_, she added as she felt her face getting hot again. She shook herself mentally as the next was announced.

"Presenting, Ami, Princess of Mercury!"

This one was shorter than the other two, with short, turquoise blue hair. Her gown was baby blue and nearly reached the floor. The cut was more conservative than the Lunar style and the half jacket was buttoned neatly to her throat. Serenity wondered if she was warm in so many layers. The young girl glanced around briefly before coming slowly into the hall. She curtsied to the queen and princess, stopping briefly to look at Serenity. Then she took a place on the other side of Neptune.

"Presenting, Makoto, Princess of Jupiter!"

There was a low murmur among the people gathered in the hall. The people of Jupiter were rarely involved in matters of state, so very few had seen a Jovian at a formal occasion like this. The girl was tall, her head was nearly level with the guards she passed as she walked into the hall. She wore a short dress made of some soft green material that Serenity didn't recognize. It was belted by a thick strip of brown leather and her hair was pulled back with a thinner one. The overall effect was a bit rustic but not unpleasant. She bowed to the queen and princess before standing stiffly next to Mercury, who watched her warily.

"Presenting, Minako, Princess of Venus!"

Another murmur passed through the crowd, but this one was of excitement. Venus was a prosperous planet and their people were rumored to be the most beautiful in the empire. Sure enough, the young princess was gorgeous. She wore a plain white dress with thin gauzy yellow scarves draped expertly over her shoulders and around her waist. Sandals laced up her calves in the same canvas white as the dress. A translucent orange scarf was tied into her long blond hair. She curtsied and flashed a dazzling smile at Serenity, who grinned back, then took her place beside Jupiter.

There was a distant scuffling outside the doors and moments later a harried looking servant came rushing up to their table. He was clearly distressed and trying hard not to show it as he leaned toward Setsuna and started whispering fervently. Setsuna rose demurely as the servant scurried off. "One moment, if you please." She swept up the stairs and out of the hall.

Serenity glanced at her mother who smiled but said nothing. Instead she studied the faces of her new guards. She was glad the table had been set up like this, so all of them were facing her. She desperately hoped they were friendly, that they would like her. They all stood stiffly at attention behind their chairs still. She jumped slightly when the trumpets startled her out of her thoughts. Setsuna had returned.

"Presenting, Rei, Princess of Mars!"

She strode in and stopped at the top of the stairs, surveying the crowd. Serenity gasped audibly. She had never been near a Martian before, she'd always been told that they were dangerous. Seeing this girl, she could believe it. She wore tall plated boots, black pants and a matching sleeveless shirt. Over this she wore a chain mail shirt and gauntlets on her wrists. At her waist was a thick black belt and a sword and knife hung at her hips. Serenity stared in alarm. The delay made sense now_,_ since weapons were not allowed in the great hall. Setsuna must have decided to make an exception.

The girl strode to the table and stopped stiffly, inclining her head to the queen. Seeing her up close, Serenity caught her breath. She was stunning. Her raven hair was thick and glossy, with two thin braids tied with beads at her temple. Her skin was flawless with high cheekbones and amethyst eyes that seemed to burn a hole through her. Serenity caught Venus shooting the girl a disdainful look as she took the place beside her.

Then the queen stood up. "I would like to welcome all of you to the kingdom of the Moon, our palace is your home and we will offer every comfort we have. I would like to thank all of you and your respective planets for coming together in this time of need. I raise my glass to continued peace and prosperity in this great empire."

* * *

Rei

Dinner was a slightly awkward affair for Rei. This was her first time away from Mars and the whole ordeal was overwhelming. When she'd gone to enter the great hall, the servants had demanded that she leave her weapons outside with a guard. Asking someone to disarm was considered one of the highest insults on Mars. The woman next to the Queen had intervened before the confrontation turned violent. _At least they let me keep them in the end_, she reminded herself. One hand drifted to brush the hilt of her knife; the cool metal was comforting in the loud stuffy room.

She focused on her plate, mechanically devouring the strange food. It was all too light and fluffy, even the meat was sweetened and too tender.

She listened to the conversations across the table, trying to pick out the voices and match them to faces without looking up.

"If I'd known how sexy the girls on Neptune are I would have visited by now."

"Please, no one there would give you the time of day with a line like that." A giggle belied the words however. These were the farthest away, Rei decided, Neptune and Uranus.

"Fascinating. I've read about the cities there but I've never been able to pinpoint the reasoning for that type of construction."

"Predators stay on the ground mostly, but it's also because it rains so much there that the ground isn't stable enough for building."

"That makes sense. What about the socioeconomic structure? I've heard…" Rei tuned them out. People on Mercury were known to be thinkers more than fighters, an idea that irked any self-respecting Martian.

"Princess, try to remember that you are royalty and one of noble upbringing does not stuff one's face with all the food within reach."

"Sorry, Sets'na I's jus sooo good!" came the muffled reply. Rei smirked at her plate. _Guarding this girl should prove to be interesting._

"Don't you speak?" a disdainful voice on her right demanded. Rei waited to see who the one from Venus was talking to. She'd noticed the somewhat hostile look the blonde had given her when she'd walked up. Suddenly her hand flew to the hilt of her knife as someone poked her in the shoulder. "Hello? Don't tell me you're deaf _and_ mute because that might complicate things."

Rei turned to the Venusian girl, forcing herself to release her knife and placing her hand on the table instead. "What?" she said in a low growl.

"You do speak." The blonde said with a tight smile. "That's a relief."

"What do you want?" Rei demanded, trying to keep her tone civil.

It seemed to fail however, since the blonde huffed and turned away from her. "Forget it, I was just trying to be friendly."

Rei watched her for a moment in irritation. What had just happened? _How is assaulting someone while they're eating a friendly gesture? _She grunted and turned back to her plate. The Moon Kingdom was definitely going to take some getting used to.

* * *

Serenity

After dinner, the six princesses were led through the castle by one of the servants. Serenity watched them go sadly. She'd barely gotten a chance to talk to them, due to all the formalities. Her mother stood and kissed her on the forehead before silently departing the hall. Serenity looked at Setsuna, waiting for a cue of what to do.

After a long moment, Setsuna turned to her with a smile. "I'll be taking the princesses of Neptune and Uranus into my service to train as guards and generals for your mother. The other four will be your private guard. I think it would be alright if you wanted to go get them settled in their new quarters. Those will be in the same wing as your room. In an hour you'll all be summoned for the ball."

She already knew where the girls were staying, having spent hours watching the servants preparing the rooms. Serenity jumped up, remembered to give a hasty curtsy, and sprinted up the stairs and out the hall. Once she was alone, she stopped. What was she expected to do now? She glanced toward the doors of the hall, but decided against going back. This was probably a test for her as much as anyone else. Trying to recover a regal air, she continued walking at a brisk but respectable pace.

She hadn't gone far, however, when she tripped on something soft. Her wail as she fell mingled with a blood curdling yowl. Blushing furiously, she looked down to see a disgruntled white cat wearing a silver collar and flicking his bushy tail at her. A black cat with a matching collar appeared next to him, stifling a laugh.

"Good evening, Princess," the black cat inclined her head and glanced at her white counterpart. He flicked his ears irritably and didn't answer except to curl his injured tail around his paws.

"Good evening, Luna," Serenity stumbled to her feet and curtsied. "Good evening Artemis, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!"

"That's alright, Serenity," he said with a long suffering sigh. "We were actually looking for you."

Serenity gave them a questioning look. "We're on our way to review you're new guards and we thought you'd like to join us," Luna clarified. "I'm sure you're looking forward to meeting them in less formal circumstances."

"Yes! Yes, please!" she squealed, making both cats flinch. "They're staying in my hall aren't they?"

"Yes, Princess," Artemis said with a chuckle, his injured tail forgotten. "Please, allow us to escort you."

Minako sat on an overstuffed couch with one leg crossed over the other, jiggling her foot impatiently. They'd been directed to what the servant said was a common room, before he'd taken Neptune and Uranus and left them to their own devices. Try as she might to stay regal and composed, the other three were getting on her nerves. The room was lavishly furnished, with plenty of room for them all to sit quietly until their audience with the Princess. However, the other three seemed to insist on making nuisances of themselves.

Mercury had wandered to a large bookshelf and was browsing through some old text she'd found, noisily turning a page every few minutes. Jupiter was leaning against the wall, gazing out the window and drumming her fingers softly on the sill. Mars was slowly pacing back and forth on the opposite side of the room from her. Her shoes didn't seem to make a sound, but every now and then the Martian's gaze would linger on her, and it was driving her insane.

"Would you stop staring at me?!" she finally shouted. The other three jumped at the sound.

Mars stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Are you talking to me?"

Minako couldn't tell if the other girl was being deliberately dense or trying to goad her. Either way it was infuriating. She leapt to her feet, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Of course! And we're supposed to be waiting for the princess, can't you all find something quiet to do? You're driving me insane!"

"Clearly…" Jupiter muttered and she heard Mars snort in agreement.

Her hands balled into fists as she glared at them each in turn. Jupiter shook her head and turned back to the window, but Mars was still watching her.

The dark haired girl took a few deliberate steps toward her. "Does my presence bother you?" she growled.

"Yes! I mean, no," Minako felt her face flush. "I just wish you would stop watching me like… like…"

Mars raised her eyebrows in confusion then frowned. "I think you're just a little paranoid and self-absorbed. There's nothing to look at in here besides the three of you, so don't flatter yourself."

Minako opened her mouth for an angry retort but Jupiter talked over her. "Take it easy Mars, she probably just had a long day."

Minako huffed. She didn't need the tall rustic sticking up for her!

"We all had a long day," Mars shot back, "She's the one who's cracking up over there, I wasn't doing anything. Stay out of it."

The Jovian straightened and pushed away from the wall, coming slowly toward them. "It seems like you're the one with the attitude problem…"

"Is that so?" Mars drew herself up and advanced on the other girl.

_This is getting ridiculous_. Minako walked between the two girls and tried to use her most diplomatic tone. "Now girls, I think we all just need to calm down and try to relax-"

A derisive snort interrupted her. "Yes?" she demanded of Mercury, who was watching them with disdain.

She sighed and shut the book in her lap with a sharp snap. "You're the one who was all worked up in the first place, now you're telling _them_ to calm down?"

"I am calm!" Mars snapped at her.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Jupiter's voice was rising as well.

"Now look what you did," Minako accused the Mercurian haughtily.

"Me!?" the blue haired girl stood up as well. "You're the one that started all of this!"

"I don't start fights but I'll finish this one!" Jupiter threatened.

"Like Hell!" Mars snarled. Before anyone could react, she swung up a gloved fist, connecting with Jupiter's jaw.

The taller girl's eyes widened in shock for a moment before narrowing to slits. She charged the Martian, knocking Mercury off her feet. Minako tried to intervene but her foot got entangled with Mercury's legs and she fell down on the heap. The battle raged so loud that none of them heard the door open.

* * *

Serenity

Serenity was rehearsing in her head what she should say to her new soldiers. _My soldiers_, she thought excitedly! _They all seemed so strong and proud in the hall, I just hope they like me! _Ahead of her, Artemis pushed open the door to the common room to announce her.

"Presenting, Serenity, Princess of- gak! What's going on!?" he shouted and rushed into the room with Luna on his heels.

Confused, Serenity followed them in and was met with a very unexpected sight. All four princesses were in a pile in the middle of the floor. They also appeared to be comically frozen in the act of beating each other senseless. They looked so shocked, Serenity had to stifle a giggle. This was a side of the serious warriors she hadn't expected to see.

"Stop this at once!" Luna commanded. "You are supposed to be royalty! What kind of example are you setting?"

They disentangled themselves quickly with a good deal of muttering and glaring before spacing themselves far apart from each other. They dusted off and straightened their clothes, looking shamefaced.

"Ahem!" Artemis waited until there was silence before speaking. "May I present Serenity, Princess of the Moon. Serenity, these are your new… elite guards."

She looked at them, trying to smile, but none of them would meet her eye. She sighed to herself. This wasn't the first meeting she'd been hoping for.

"This is Luna and I'm Artemis. We'll be training you in all aspects of guarding the princess." Artemis twitched his tail in irritation as he turned toward the door. "If you'll all follow me I can show you your rooms."

They shuffled obediently past Serenity into the hallway. Last of all was the Princess of Mars. Serenity gasped and caught her arm to stop her. The other girl immediately snapped to attention, staring firmly past her. "I'm sorry you had to see that your Highness, it won't happen again."

Serenity couldn't help but smile at how serious this girl was. "It's alright, it's not that. Just, you're bleeding." She fished a small white handkerchief from her pocket and reached to press it to the corner of Mars' mouth.

The dark haired girl reddened and stepped back as her amethyst eyes met Serenity's for a moment. She held the handkerchief out and the other girl slowly took it from her with a confused look. "Are you alright?" She tried to catch her eye again but the girl simply dabbed at the blood and stared at the stained handkerchief before nodding. "You can keep it," Serenity offered, "I have more."

Mars looked at her again, something unreadable flashing across her eyes. "Thank you, your Highness," she said quietly before following the others. Serenity smiled and made her way to the hall after them.

* * *

Ami

Ami stood in the center of her new bedroom and examined it critically. Like the rest of the palace, it was done in white marble and light tones. A large tapestry embroidered with the symbol of Mercury hung above the generous hearth. Across from that, was a lavish bed with a dark blue cover and a ridiculous amount of pillows. The servants had already unpacked her things and she walked over to her bookshelf, absently running her fingers along the spines of a row of books. _I'll have to rearrange them some time tomorrow_, she thought absently. She would much rather do it tonight, but she was expected to attend the ball soon.

She sighed softly when there was a light knock on the door. She crossed the room and pushed the door open, only to find no one there. "Princess Mercury?"

She jumped slightly at the greeting that floated up from her feet. Looking down, she found the black cat that had lectured them earlier. "Is it time to go?" she guessed. The cat nodded and wordlessly disappeared. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the hall.

Directly across from her was a door decorated with the symbol of Venus. As she studied the design, the door swung open and she stepped back sharply. Princess Venus stepped out and cerulean eyes raked over her. Ami felt herself blush lightly at the appraising look. She cleared her throat significantly.

"I see you decided not to change," she said with a sniff.

"Neither did you," Ami pointed out.

"I didn't need to," Venus said disdainfully, tossing her hair over her shoulder and pointedly turning away.

Ami rolled her eyes and decided not to comment. The blonde had already caused her enough trouble for an evening. The two doors beside them opened simultaneously. The crest of Jupiter was etched on the one nearest them and Princess Mars was standing in the other doorway with her arms crossed. The other door was slammed shut as Princess Jupiter stepped around it and glowered down at the shorter girl.

They were saved from another confrontation as a door past the two girls was flung open. "I'm ready," a singsong voice called. Mars and Jupiter immediately straightened a moment before Princess Serenity skipped up to them grinning. Her face fell slightly when her eyes fell on Mars. "Aren't you going to wear a dress?"

Dark brows drew together as the Martian looked down at herself. She was still wearing her black clothing and armor. Venus snorted derisively and Mars flicked a glare her way before returning her attention to the Princess. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she demanded.

"Nothing," the Princess said quickly, offering a timid smile. "Are all of you ready?" They all nodded tersely and she grinned again. "Great, let's get going!"

"Princess, don't you think we should wait for your escorts?" Venus said in a slightly bored voice, examining her perfectly manicured nails. Ami glanced around the floor but didn't see either cat.

The Princess turned wide blue eyes on her. "You four are my escort, aren't you?" she asked innocently.

Mars immediately put a hand on the hilt of her sword and straightened again. Ami tore her eyes away from that slightly unsettling sight to see how the other two reacted. Venus raised an eyebrow, but didn't look away from her hand.

"I suppose so," Jupiter said uncertainly, taking a step toward the Princess. Mars tensed and Ami could see the warring emotions on the other girl's face. _It's going to be a long night_, she decided.

They reached the ballroom without further incident. The Princess had kept up a string of idle chatter to cover the stony silence of her four escorts. Outside the doors, the guards bowed low and a herald stepped forward to announce them. "Presenting Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Heir to Queen Serenity, High Queen of the Silver Empire. She is escorted by the newly instated Elite Royal Guard, Princesses Minako, Ami, Makoto and Rei."

Ami frowned slightly as they were ushered in. They hadn't even mentioned which planets they were from. A huff beside her indicated that Venus had noticed as well and was less than pleased. She glanced over, but the other two seemed too intent on their destination to care.

They followed the Princess through the crowd to a long refreshment table. The moment they stopped, a Lunar courtier swept Venus onto the dance floor. _So much for guarding the Princess_, Ami thought wryly as she idly watched the blonde giggle and flirt as they disappeared into the crowd.

Mars crossed her arms in front of her chest and scowled out at the crowd. Jupiter was on her other side, restlessly shifting her feet as her eyes darted around the room. Princess Serenity moved to stand in front of them, smiling expectantly. "Do any of you want to dance?" she asked sweetly.

Ami nervously looked at her companions, praying that one of them would volunteer. She'd read about quite a few different types of dances, but had never had the chance to put theory into practice. "I'm not much of a dancer," Jupiter mumbled, opting to grab a glass of punch to occupy her attention.

Princess Serenity turned to Mars with a pleading expression. The scowl had disappeared, to be replaced by a look of abject horror. "I don't dance," she said as she tried to step back, only to meet the resistance of the table.

Ami was about to mentally curse her luck when the Princess's smile widened. "That's alright, I'll teach you," she said excitedly. Before the dark haired girl could protest, the blonde had caught her hand and literally dragged her out into the crowd.

Ami took a glass of punch from the table just to give her hands something to do. She'd never been to an event like this, the whole thing was impractical. She thought longingly of her disorganized book collection upstairs as she watched the swaying couples.

There was a brief glimpse of the Princess wincing as Mars stepped on her foot, before Ami's view was obscured by blonde hair and an orange scarf. A moment later her arm was jogged and she almost dropped her half full cup. "Excuse you," Venus said acidly as she reached past her.

Ami gave her a cold stare and chose not to respond. Jupiter, however, lacked her discretion. "Why are you so rude to everyone?" she demanded.

Venus looked genuinely surprised for a moment before she turned a haughty glare on the taller girl. "I'm not," she informed the Jovian in icy tones. "Certain people just aren't used to the level of sophistication in Venusian conversation."

Ami almost laughed at that. _Sophistication? More like justification to be a bitch._ Jupiter set her cup down hard enough for some of its contents to slosh onto the pristine tablecloth. "From what I've seen so far, you're just a spoiled brat with no manners."

An appreciative snort interrupted whatever snide comeback Venus was about to launch. Mars had just returned, apparently finding the Princess a more capable dance partner. "Who asked you?" Venus snapped, her attention instantly on the Martian.

With a heavy sigh, Ami took a step closer to them. "Perhaps this isn't the best place for this," she said softly. Both girls turned their furious glares on her and she had to force herself not to roll her eyes at their childish antics. "After all, we are all representing our planets tonight in front of the Lunar aristocracy." That point seemed to have the desired effect. Mars moved to Ami's other side, crossed her arms and resumed scowling. Venus schooled her features into what she seemed to think was regally aloof and sipped her punch quietly.

None of them spoke until a breathless Princess Serenity returned almost an hour later. "Are you having fun?" she asked brightly. They all forced smiles and carefully avoided looking at each other. _Forget a long night_, Ami thought tiredly, _it's going to be a long lifetime if it's going to be around these three._


	2. Training

Disclaimer: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter but just so we're clear, I definitely do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed and to everyone for checking this out. It's going to be a little different take on the Silver Millennium but I hope you all enjoy it!

-Makoto-

-1 Makoto jerked awake and stared around at her surroundings, feeling disoriented. Then she remembered the events of the previous day and scowled. She felt tenderly along her jaw, it was swollen where the Martian had landed a lucky punch. _It won't happen again_, she promised herself as she sat up and swung her long legs out of the bed.

She stretched and yawned. She'd actually slept surprisingly well in the soft fluffy bed. She was used to a hammock and this was like sleeping on a cloud. She pulled on loose leather trousers and a green cotton shirt then stuck her head out the door. Looking left and right she saw no one so she stepped cautiously into the hallway, trying to remember the layout as it had been explained last night.

The crest of Mars was on the door directly opposite her, causing another scowl. Beside it was Venus and at the end on the left was the crescent that marked the Moon Princess's room. Mercury's room was next to Makoto's own which meant that food was served somewhere in that direction. She started that way when a creaking sound caused her to pivot and drop to a defensive stance.

"Good Morning," Mercury said, watching her pensively as she stepped out of her room. "Did you sleep well?" It seemed that she at least wanted to start fresh today.

Makoto looked the short girl up and down as she sleepily rubbed her eyes and fixed her glasses into place. She decided to oblige her. "Good morning. I slept fine and you?"

She shrugged and stifled a yawn. "It's strange to sleep when everything here is so quiet."

This statement was a little confusing. Makoto made a noncommittal noise in reply. She eyed the long skirt and pale tank top the shorter girl was wearing. _I wonder if she's planning on training in that_, she mused as they walked together down the hall.

The white cat appeared around the corner and glared at them both suspiciously. "Morning," he said gruffly. "Where do you two think you're off to?"

"Breakfast?" Makoto suggested hopefully. "It's Artemis, right?"

"Yes," he replied stiffly. His opinion of them didn't seem to have improved from the previous night. "You'll be taking most of your meals in the common room, unless there's a special dinner." Makoto exchanged an unwitting look with Mercury, and Artemis caught it. "The Queen suggested it as a way for you girls to Bond." He stressed the last word, eyeing them both. "You can head in there now, I'm going to wake up your comrades." With a twitch of his tail he turned away from them.

They walked together in silence. As soon as she walked in Makoto checked for signs of the short-tempered Martian or the high-strung Venusian. Seeing neither, she settled into a chair at the small table on one end of the room. After a moment, Mercury settled next to her.

-Rei-

Rei sat cross-legged on the floor, staring into the empty hearth. She'd been awake for a while but she wanted some time to herself before facing her new… _fellow soldiers? _She supposed so. _Comrades? Friends? Definitely not. _The whole situation was becoming much more complicated than she'd been expecting. When she'd left home for this alien world they'd said she was to be part of an elite honor guard. There had been nothing about having to share every aspect of her life with four strangers. Three of which were so far proving to be unstable at best.

The fourth… she touched her split lip gently. The princess seemed tolerable at least. She looked over her shoulder to check that the handkerchief was still on the table by her bed. She wasn't sure why she had kept it, but the princess had seemed so sincere and kind… She shook her head and stood up. _It was just a moment of weakness because of the unfamiliar environment_.

She pulled on a black sleeveless shirt, loose black pants and buckled her belt onto them before sheathing her knife at her hip. After last night's ordeal, she grudgingly left her sword on her weapon rack. Just as she reached for the door, it opened of it's own accord. A white furry head poked into the room. "Good, you're awake," Artemis said in sincere relief. "I just finished waking the princess of Venus… and there's still Serenity…" Rei raised an eyebrow and he seemed to remember himself. "Anyway, breakfast is being served in the common room."

He disappeared and Rei heaved a sigh. They really were going to force them to be together all the time. She pushed her door open with more force than necessary to vent her frustrations and met with solid resistance.

THUNK!

"Ow! What the Hell?"

She slipped out the door and closed it to check on her victim. Venus was clutching her hand over one eye, the other glaring in outrage. _Great_, Rei thought, _just my luck_.

"Didn't see you," she mumbled, trying to avoid another argument.

"Well of course not! The door opens out, that's why you're not supposed to fling them off their hinges when you come out!" Venus sputtered.

_That was a bit overly dramatic_. Rei shrugged and turned away. If she was capable of lecturing and being neurotic, she was probably ok.

"Ahem!"

Rei stopped and sighed as she turned back to the blond. "What?"

"Aren't you even going to apologize for your clumsiness?" she demanded, still holding her eye.

Rei was speechless for a moment. "My- MY clumsiness?" One cerulean eye narrowed at her. "I'm sorry that Your clumsiness caused you to run into My door."

"You flung your door at my head!" the blond pronounced shrilly. "I wasn't being clumsy, I was just walking out of my room!"

They stared at each other for a minute. She couldn't believe how irritating this girl was! Finally she sighed. She was just going to have to try to get used to these alien customs. She didn't want another scene in front of the princess.

Stepping closer, she took hold of Venus's hand and pulled it away from her face. "Are you hurt?" On Mars, that sort of question would get you punched but it seemed to be what was expected here. She inspected the growing lump above the blonde's eye, running her thumb over it lightly.

Venus seemed a bit taken aback by the sudden mood shift. "I… no, I'm ok. It was just an accident," she said quietly.

"You'll live. Put some ice on it at breakfast," Rei concluded, drawing back. She started to walk away then stopped when she heard the blond start to sputter something indignant. "I'm sorry," she said without turning around.

-Minako-

Minako stood rooted to the spot, her angry retort dying on her lips as she watched the Martian's retreating back. _Did she really just apologize_? That was the last thing she'd been expecting. From the way the other girl had first looked at her, she'd half expected her to punch the other eye. Either she'd gotten a concussion the night before or she was making a supreme effort to get along. That was the closest she'd ever seen the Martian to being friendly.

"Huh," she said softly to herself. She strolled into the common room and smiled as she was assaulted by delicious smells. She didn't even grumble as she was forced to take the seat next to Mars. No one spoke as they set to work on the piles of food.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Luna walked in. "Presenting Serenity, Prin-"

"Luna, you really don't have to do that every time I walk into a room. I'm starving!" The Princess skipped past the highly affronted black cat to the table. The four others immediately stood respectfully.

"Good morning, Princess," the four chorused in unison.

She smiled brightly at them. "Good morning! Everything looks so good, I'm starving!" She sat at the head of the table and immediately began devouring everything within reach.

The four guards stayed standing, watching this rather un-princess-like display with wide eyes. Mercury discretely cleared her throat and sat again. Minako, taking the hint, sat as well, followed by Jupiter. Mars, however, remained standing and looked like she was about to say something. Since the Martian seemed to lack any sort of tact, Minako took the initiative and grabbed her wrist, pulling her down into her seat. Mars looked at her with her head cocked, a slight frown forming. Minako offered a half smile of truce which was met with a noncommittal grunt.

Once they were done eating servants came and removed the few leftovers. The Princess smiled cheerfully at them. "So I don't remember all of your names, but I'll try really hard to from now on." She beamed at them expectantly.

"Makoto, Princess of Jupiter." The tallest of them stood briefly and bowed before sitting again.

"Ami, Princess of Mercury." The short blue haired girl said distractedly, adjusting her glasses.

Minako stood up and raised her chin, trying to draw on her years of nobility training. "Minako, Princess of Venus and Five hundred seventy ninth Goddess of Love." She inclined her head to the Princess, whose eyes widened. Minako graced her with a small smile and the Princess grinned back. _She's really not what you would expect for the highest princess of the entire empire_, she thought to herself as she sat down.

Mars started to stand but before she could the princess grabbed her arm in delight. "Rei!" Mars immediately stiffened at the contact, staring straight ahead even as Minako caught the blush spreading across her cheeks. "I remember you!" the princess exclaimed excitedly, "We got to talk last night!"

Minako couldn't help but smile at the Princess's childish excitement and Mars' obvious discomfort. When she let go of the alarmed soldier, Minako noticed a muscle working in the Martian's jaw. She didn't know much about Martian culture but they were clearly not big on contact. Her mind slipped to earlier and she felt the knot on her forehead. _That must have taken a lot for her to appologize_, she thought.

The Princess's voice broke through her train of thought. "It's so good to meet all of you! I know we're all going to be really good friends! You can call me Serenity if you want!" She was so hopeful and excited, Minako couldn't stop herself from grinning back. _You really can't help but like this girl_, Minako thought, _she doesn't seem to have a malicious bone in her body_.

"Have you all finished eating?" Luna had returned and her mood seemed slightly improved. She glanced around. "Good, report to the training grounds in ten minutes."

"Luna can I come watch? Please, please?" Serenity was literally bouncing up and down in her chair, blue eyes wide and hopeful.

Luna's eye twitched. "Of course, your Majesty."

-Ami-

Ami stood on the edge of the field, surveying the equipment. There were sparring dummies and archery targets on one side. The other looked like some sort of obstacle course with a pool that ran it's length along the outer edge. The center of the field had a large circle drawn out about twenty feet in diameter with a few rows of bleachers behind it.

She tapped a button on her glasses that set them to record, then walked around the course. She could use the recordings later to improve her training. By the time she'd completed her circuit, the others had gathered on the grass by the sparring ring.

"Alright, girls," Artemis strolled up to them with Luna by his side. "Today I thought we'd start with a general assessment of your skills." Ami glanced at her fellows to see how they took this, but they seemed to be unbothered. "Let's start out with ranged combat."

They trailed behind him as he lead them to the archery targets. Ami saw that Serenity was coming down from the castle and, to her horror, was followed by the Queen, Lady Pluto, and the princesses of Neptune and Uranus. _Why didn't I just learn to use a bow and arrow like anyone else_, she chided herself. She gave her pack a rueful stare. It was too late now, she supposed. If the queen or anyone else disapproved of her invention… _I'll just wait and see_, she told herself firmly.

Venus stepped up first, smiling in the queen's direction before confidently knocking an arrow. She took five shots at five different targets, and each arrow hit relatively close to the center. Ami studied the results as the blond moved to retrieve her arrows. Two of them were touching the edge of the red center circle, the other three were in the blue second ring. She sighed. It was quite impressive shooting.

Next Jupiter was called up. She clutched her pack protectively then said in a small voice, "I've never shot a bow before." Ami breathed a sigh of relief. _At least I'm wasn't the only one._ "But I brought these," she continued, holding up a bundle of javelins. Ami grumbled to herself. With a nod from Artemis, she threw them expertly at the targets. She managed to get three in the red and two in the blue. It didn't look like she exerted much effort, but Ami noted that all five had pierced the targets completely through. Their audience applauded politely.

Ami held her breath, but Mars was called up next. She seemed impassive about the whole thing but Ami noticed their fellow guards had taken an extra interest. With lightning speed she loosed five arrows. Ami whistled under her breath as she counted five perfect bulls eyes. Serenity let out a whoop and the others clapped politely as she went to fetch her arrows.

Ami took a deep breath to steady herself. _What's the worst thing that could happen? They decide I should stick to close range combat? My skills lie in other areas anyway_, she reminded herself. That was far from the worst thing that could happen but she refused to dwell on that.

"Um, I've never had training with a bow either," she said as she brought her bundle to the line.

"That's fine," Artemis said breezily, "What about thrown weapons? Or a crossbow? It doesn't really matter as long as it can hit bad guys from far away." He chuckled to himself.

"Well, I made this… It's a pulse rifle. It works off of concentrated electromagnetic pulses and it has very precise auto aim and multi-aim functions. It also has a variable power level depending on the type of enemy…" She was getting a lot of blank stares. "So should I just try to hit five targets…?"

Artemis nodded mutely and she started programming it. She sighted down the scope locking five of the targets into the memory. Then she checked that the power was only at thirty percent so she didn't blow a hole in the range. _Or blow my arm off if I haven't worked out the kinks_, she added mentally. Then she took a deep breath, raised it to her shoulder, and fired. The impact knocked her back a step and there were assorted shouts of alarm. Looking down the field she saw the remnants of the straw targets floating down to settle peacefully into a pile. She couldn't help but smile slightly as she turned to Artemis. "So, was that ok?"

He shook himself, trying to get his fur to lay flat before answering in a shaky voice, "I think you're all sufficiently proficient at ranged fighting. Let's move to hand-to hand."

-Rei-

Rei slipped her gauntlets on and flexed her fingers experimentally. She double-checked the fastenings on her chain mail armor, feeling confident. She'd been raised a soldier and her armor was designed for combat, not show. She looked over Mercury, who's armor was made of some sort of silvery alloy that looked like it wouldn't stand up to a single hit. Two long-knives were laying in the grass beside her.

Her gaze shifted to Venus, who wore a studded leather jerkin with strips that hung down her shoulders and legs and had golden plates covering her shoulders. She was coiling a matching golden chain around her waist. Rei snorted. _Why is she worried about fashion? This is combat, not a costume party. _

Venus heard her and her head shot up, piercing Rei with a glare. "What are you snorting about?" she demanded.

Rei gazed at her for a moment. _Why does she need to pick a fight about everything?_ "I was just… admiring your belt."

The blond narrowed her eyes. "Admiring my… You think I don't know how to fight?"

"That's not what I…" Rei sighed. _So much for trying to be nice_. She tried again. "I'm sure you're a more than adequate fighter-"

"More than adequate!" she repeated with a snarl. "I'll show you adequate, you arrogant Martian!" she shouted.

Rei turned away in disgust. Instead she turned her gaze to Jupiter, who had the most sensible armor of the others. It was braided leather with bits of plate woven into it. When she caught Rei watching her she scowled and hefted a serrated staff, before turning sharply away.

Luna had returned and she was dragging a bag of wooden swords with her. The four guards stared at her in pure disgust. "You're not expecting us to fight with Those, are you?" Venus demanded. Obviously she was still in a towering temper about Rei's slight on her fighting skills.

"Well," Luna said, setting the bag down, "I would rather you didn't hack each other to pieces on you first day of…" She trailed off as she saw their mutinous expressions. She flicked her tail irritably. "Fine have it your way." She padded to the bleachers and sat down, adding in a carrying voice, "Setsuna, you might want to have a servant fetch down a couple healers for this."

Artemis sat down by the edge of the ring. "Alright, Mars why don't you go first with-"

"I'll go!" Venus and Jupiter both stepped forward. They turned to glare at each other, knuckles whitening on their weapons.

"Pick a number," Artemis intervened hastily, "between one and ten."

"Six!"

"Three!"

"Alright then, Makoto go ahead and go first. The winner can fight Minako." Both girls whipped their heads around to glare at Artemis. _Great, they both want to try and kill me_, Rei thought cynically. Artemis sat back in the grass next to a disgruntled Venus and a completely indifferent Mercury. "Please, just don't kill each other," he added, making it clear he was fed up with all of them.

Rei drew her short sword and knife and stepped into the ring. She and Jupiter circled each other. The Jovian tried a few experimental jabs, but Rei stayed low in the defensive position. She had a much longer reach but Rei had speed and experience. _You don't grow up on Mars without learning how to fight_. She smirked to herself and this seemed to infuriate the Jovian. With a war cry she lunged in, swinging the heavy staff in an arc. Rei feinted back, feeling the staff graze her face in a white hot line as she sidestepped. She got a low cut on Jupiter's leg as she passed and followed with a heavy overhand strike that landed solidly in the middle of her back. With a roar of rage, the taller girl swung around and caught Rei in the chest, knocking her back several feet. She gasped for air as she staggered to her feet. When Jupiter came in for another jarring attack, Rei ducked it and caught her arm solidly just below her armor. She heard a crack and knew the bone had broken. She followed up with a kick to her injured leg that brought the taller girl crashing down. Immediately Rei dropped on top of her. She caught a handful of curly brown hair and pulled her head back, positioning her sword against her throat.

Cheers sounded from the bleachers and Rei dropped her weapons with a smile. She clambered off Jupiter's back, wiping her face on her upper arm. When the girl turned over, Rei offered her a hand up and she accepted with a grin. "Good fight," the taller girl said, still smiling tiredly. "Can't wait for a rematch!" Rei nodded to her, feeling that they had finally found some common ground.

Venus was clearly chomping at the bit to begin her match, but before they would let Rei continue, Lady Pluto insisted on checking her. Rei glared straight ahead as the older woman prodded her ribs. No matter how much it hurt, Rei refused to cry out or acknowledge it. Martian warriors did not stop fighting because of minor injuries, they stopped when they were unconscious or dead. She shook Pluto off after she had fussed about the scrape on Rei's cheek, wiping the blood and dirt out of it. Anything else could wait.

She rechecked her gauntlets and fastenings, before picking up her sword and knife and stepping back into the ring. Venus drew a long curved scimitar and held it loosely in her right hand. Her other hand fiddled with her belt. Rei watched her face as they circled then the clink of metal made her realize what she'd overlooked. The blond had undone the chain and coiled it twice around her left fist, letting the other end dangle so about eight inches of it touched the ground.

Venus flicked it menacingly, testing the range. Rei continued moving, keeping the chain in her peripheral while keeping her eyes on her target. Suddenly she lifted the scimitar and lunged at her. Rei got ready to block and counter when the chain flicked up and wrapped around her wrist, pulling her knife arm down and leaving her left side open. The blond hacked deep into Rei's upper arm, flicking the chain back to her as she passed. Rei gasped in pain, forcing herself not to loosen her grip on the knife.

When Venus flicked the chain again, Rei was ready. She darted forward and stepped on it, lunging forward with her weapons out. Her knife stuck in the Venusian's thigh and was wrenched out of her hand. The sword glanced off her armor, coming up and cutting the edge of her jaw. Blood started to well up in a thin line along Venus's cheek but she didn't seem to notice. She pulled Rei's knife from her leg with a sharp cry and hurled it out of the ring. She flicked her chain out again, landing a deceptively hard hit on the ribs that were still sore from Jupiter's blow. Rei gasped in pain and the world spun for a moment. Through a haze, she saw Venus coming down with her scimitar. She blocked it with her short sword, but the blow knocked her own sword back causing it to bite in next to her eye. The clash of metal on metal was deafening as Rei beat her opponent back to the middle of the ring. She saw the chain flash up and caught it's end in her free hand, wincing in pain as she tried to hold onto it. Minako was distracted for a moment and she slashed in, scoring a deep cut on the blonde's lower abdomen. Her razor sharp blade cut through the leather strips as though they were paper. The blond delivered a swift kick to Rei's chest as she staggered back, dropping her scimitar to clutch at the deep gash on her stomach that was bleeding heavily.

Rei fell back as well, gasping for breath and trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her ribs. Even as she recovered, she saw Venus wrap another length of chain around her fist. In slow motion she saw the golden fist descending toward her face. The world exploded in white light and a rushing sounded in her ears. At the same time something hot gushed down over her mouth and chin. She tasted metal. Her knees made contact with something solid and soft. As her vision cleared, she realized she was on her knees on the ground and slowly sinking forward. Across from her Venus had dropped to one knee and was falling sideways, blood welling through her fingers as she clutched her stomach . Far away someone was shouting, then everything went black.

-Serenity-

Serenity sat quietly in the infirmary, watching the healers work. She was still in shock over how the sparring match had gone. She'd never seen anyone fight like that. _And they're going to be protecting me_, she thought in awe. The door opened and Makoto strode in, grinning. Her arm was in a sling and there was a bandage wrapped around her thigh.

"Hello, Serenity," she said cheerfully, taking a seat on the bench beside the princess.

Serenity looked up at her, studying the good natured face. "Are you alright?" Her jaw was still swollen from the night before but her emerald eyes had a slightly manic glint in them.

"I'm great!" the Jovian said enthusiastically. "I love a good fight, it gets my juices going!"

"It was so scary watching all of you," Serenity admitted quietly. Makoto looked down at her in confusion and the princess shrugged, embarrassed. "I was just worried about all of you."

Makoto looked like she was about to speak when Ami strolled in. The taller girl's expression immediately darkened. "We never did get to see how you are in close combat, Mercury."

Ami's eyes slid over her, lingering on the sling. "I couldn't very well demonstrate when the three of you nearly killed each other," she said coolly. "You were the only conscious one and what was I supposed to do, fight you when your arm's broken?"

Makoto leapt to her feet. "I could beat you with one arm as easily as two!" she said indignantly. She balled her free hand into a fist.

Ami snorted and rolled her eyes before turning from the enraged Jovian to the princess. "I was just coming to see how the other two are doing."

At that moment, Setsuna strode in followed by Luna and Artemis. Her eyes raked over Makoto and Ami before passing them to talk to the healers. Luna leapt onto the bench beside Serenity and Artemis sat on the floor by her feet, curling his tail around his paws.

They watched Setsuna and the healers conversing in low voices before she turned on her heel. "They'll live," she muttered as she stomped out, slamming the door behind her.

Serenity cast Luna a questioning look. "She's not very happy with your guards, Princess," she said with a shrug of furry shoulders. "For that matter, neither am I," she added, eyeing Ami and Makoto.

Ami rolled her eyes again and looked away but Makoto stared back defiantly. "We're supposed to be warriors."

"You're supposed to protect the princess, not try to kill each other," Luna shot back. "You're children, playing at being warriors. There's much more to your task than being able to fight, and the sooner you all realize that and take responsibility for yourselves, the better off everyone will be." She flicked her tail and left.

Without a word, Ami and Makoto strode out after her, leaving Artemis and Serenity alone. Serenity stared at the door, trying not to cry. Artemis leapt lightly into her lap, staring at her. She stroked his back absently.

"Don't worry princess, just give it time," he said soothingly.

"This isn't how I thought it would be…" she said sadly, finally tearing her eyes from the door to look at him.

He sighed and settled onto her lap. "They're young. Just give them time."


	3. Settling In

Disclaimer: I still do not own Sailor Moon.

-Minako-

-1 Minako woke in a dark, unfamiliar room. She stared at the ceiling, trying to identify the sounds she was hearing and clear her head. A low rhythmic buzzing was coming from outside her field of vision. She sat up but immediately laid back down as searing pain shot through her body. _Mars_… She gingerly ran her hand down her stomach until it hit a thick bandage that felt damp and sticky. She felt lower, feeling a similar wrap on her upper thigh. _Mars' knife… In my leg_. She rolled gingerly onto her side so she could push herself to a sitting position.

Mars was on her back on a cot next to hers. She seemed to be sleeping fitfully, as though plagued by nightmares. She'd pushed her blanket off to reveal that she still had her loose black pants on, but her shirt had been removed and replaced by thick bandages from her belly button to just below her arms. Her left arm was wrapped and a blood soaked rag was tied to her face, covering one eye.

Minako thought back to the fight. She'd been offended by Mars' implication that she couldn't fight, but… _I didn't want to hurt her this bad_, she admitted to herself. Things had just gotten out of hand in the heat of battle. Her ears picked up on the buzzing sound again and she turned toward it slowly.

She was surprised to see the princess sprawled in a chair against the far wall, snoring lightly with the white cat asleep in her lap. _She stayed here all night? She must have been really worried_, she thought guiltily. _It's really sweet that she cares so much, though_.

She smiled to herself and felt a pain and tightness at her jaw. She touched the spot lightly, feeling the bandage that hid a long gash. _She could have slit my throat if she'd been a few inches lower_! she thought indignantly. She glared at the sleeping figure in the next bed. Mars shivered then grimaced, her pain interrupting her sleep, and Minako felt a small twinge of guilt.

With a heavy sigh, she slid carefully off of the bed, her injured leg shaking slightly not wanting to carry her weight. She caught the corner of blanket still on the bed and carefully spread it over the sleeping girl.

Mars' eyes half opened and she looked blearily up at her. "Princess?" she mumbled, eyes dull with pain.

Minako gave her a half smile, trying not to move the injured side of her face. "Shh," she whispered, "Go back to sleep."

Mars nodded trustingly and closed her eyes. Still smiling slightly, Minako returned to her own bed and shortly drifted off to sleep.

-Rei-

Rei walked slowly down the empty hall, flexing her shoulders and stretching her back. The queen had done something to accelerate their healing so two weeks later, her cracked ribs were more a dull ache than a searing pain. She'd just had her bandages removed and had decided to go to the baths for a long soak. She lifted a hand to her face as she walked, absently feeling the bump on the bridge of her nose and moving to the scab on the edge of her eyebrow. Souvenirs from the battle with the others.

She'd been studiously avoiding her fellow guards since then, only leaving her room for meals or for forced visits to the infirmary for check ups. It seemed they had the same idea, since whenever any of them crossed paths they were polite but distant.

She pushed open the door, wincing slightly as her freshly mended ribs flared in protest. A gust of warm air hit her but the room was blessedly silent. She slipped off her sandals and dropped her black robe on top of them, sliding into the warm water of the huge, ornate pool. She closed her eyes and laid back, enjoying the warmth on her aching body.

She stayed that way for some time until a cold breeze hit her face. She turned to see Venus staring at her from the doorway, one hand frozen on the tie of her garish orange robe. They watched each other for a moment before the blond seemed to remember herself. "Sorry," she said disinterestedly, "I didn't think anyone else would be here this early." She straightened and strode to the opposite end of the pool.

Rei sighed. _I suppose I can't avoid her forever_, she thought ruefully. Out loud she said, "It's fine, we're supposed to be able to share space, right?"

Venus turned back, eyes narrowed. "I wasn't implying that I couldn't be in the same room as you, Mars, I just didn't expect to see anyone." She yanked at the tie, seeming agitated.

_Why does she have to take everything I say as a personal insult_? She rubbed a wet hand over her face, choosing her words carefully. "I just meant, there's only one bath in this part of the castle. It stands to reason that we'll run into each other from time to time."

"I realize that! Do you think I'm an idiot?" the blond flared up at once.

_Yes_. "No."

"Well then what's your problem?"

_You're completely hypersensitive and neurotic and imagining insults with every word anyone's spoken to you since we met_. "I don't have one."

Rei closed her eyes again, listening as the blond dropped her robe into a pile and got into the water with what seemed to be an excessive amount of fuss. She whimpered softly and Rei opened her eyes to see the blond wincing in pain. "Everything ok?"

"Fine," Venus said through clenched teeth. "Just a little sore."

Rei continued to study her, taking in the scab on her jaw line that ran up the edge of her cheek. She wondered how bad the one on her stomach was. The rippling water obscured her view.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing," Rei mumbled, feeling her face get hot as she looked away.

"Nothing? So now you're saying I'm not attractive enough to stare at?" Cerulean eyes glared daggers at her as Rei yelped in surprise.

"What? I wasn't- I didn't mean…Of course you're good enough to…" She groaned aloud. Venus was still glaring at her, obviously not satisfied at the response. Rei took a deep calming breath before continuing. "I didn't mean to stare. I was just wondering how bad the wound on your stomach is." She watched the blond, bracing herself for an angry retort.

Venus seemed to deliberate something for a moment, then her glare lost it's edge. "It's not that bad," she answered. "How are your ribs?"

"Fine," Rei said with a light shrug.

Venus nodded and contemplated the water in front of her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you that badly," she said softly.

Rei scowled inwardly at the implication, but reminded herself that they weren't on Mars. _She's just trying to be nice, it's how people are here_. "It wasn't all your fault. Jupiter got a good shot in first." She offered Venus a timid smile. _Maybe now we can finally get along_, she thought as she watched the blond.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded. _Apparently not_. "I'm just as good of a fighter as her."

Rei's mouth dropped open. _Seriously? _"I didn't mean…" Finally her patience snapped. "Why do you have to take every little thing I say as an insult? This is ridiculous! We wouldn't even have been that badly hurt if you hadn't overreacted in the first place!"

"I overreacted? Me?" she sputtered indignantly. "You're the one who tried to slit my throat out there!" She indicated the freshly healed cut on her jaw.

"If I had wanted to slit your throat I would have," Rei growled, getting to her feet. _I kind of want to right now_, she thought angrily.

Venus stood too, glowering at her. Rei's eyes slid down to the huge fresh scar across her stomach, which stretched almost from one hip bone to the other. "You are easily the most arrogant, infuriating… YOU ARE STARING AT ME AGAIN!"

Rei's eyes jumped guiltily back to the blonde's face, feeling the hot blush return. "In your dreams," she snarled as she turned away. She put her robe back on, not even bothering with her shoes as she all but fled the bath.

-Makoto-

Makoto strolled down the hall toward the common room. She flexed her arm experimentally. She'd just returned from the infirmary and they'd finally allowed her to take her sling off. It was nearly lunchtime and she was looking forward to a good meal before heading to the training grounds. She turned a corner and nearly ran into Mars. She had her shoes clutched tightly to her chest. Her black robe and hair made the blush covering her cheeks stand out.

"Have you seen Venus?" Makoto inquired. She'd been hoping to catch the blond and see how long before she was fit to spar again.

"No!" Mars yelped, her eyes going wide. She stammered something incomprehensible and sped away toward their rooms.

Shaking her head in confusion, Makoto continued to the common room. She was about to go in when the door to the baths opened behind her.

"Venus?" Her wet blond hair was clinging to her and she was tying a blinding orange robe tightly.

Her head shot up at the sound of her name, but her fierce expression softened as she saw the speaker. "Oh, it's you."

"Who else would it be?" Makoto asked suggestively. She smirked as she put two and two together. _Mars and Venus… In the baths, together? Hmm…_

Venus' eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you implying, Jupiter?" she demanded haughtily. Makoto chuckled but instantly realized it was a mistake as the other girl's face darkened. "I don't have time for your idiotic suggestions," she huffed as she turned on her heel and stormed away.

Shaking her head slightly she walked into the common room to see the princess had beaten her there. "Hello, Makoto," she said around a huge mouthful.

"Good morning, Princess," Makoto bowed low before joining her at the table.

The princess swallowed and smiled at her. "You don't have to call me that when it's just the three of us, you know," she admonished the taller girl.

_Three_? She looked around and spotted Mercury lounging on the couch with a heavy book propped against her knees. "Good afternoon, Mercury," she said a little stiffly.

"Jupiter," she answered without looking up.

"You know, you could call each other by your names too, if you want," Serenity suggested as she watched them both. They both stared at her. She shrugged and smiled. "I mean, you're all going to be here for a while so you might as well," she said innocently, before returning her attention to her heaping plate.

Makoto looked back at Mercury, who rolled her eyes and promptly returned to her book. _So much for that_, Makoto thought. She finished eating in silence before standing up and stretching.

"Prin- Serenity, I'll see you later," she bowed formally to the princess who grinned.

"Where are you going?"

"To the training area," she answered. The princess's grin widened and she watched Makoto hopefully. She sighed. "Would you like to join me?"

"Yes!" Serenity practically shouted before jumping out of her seat. Then she paused and studied her quizzically. "But who are you going to be sparring with?"

Makoto frowned. "I was going to see if Venus wanted to come down, but I don't know if she's healed enough…"

"Why don't you come, Ami?" Serenity suggested. Makoto couldn't repress a derisive snort. She had yet to see the smaller girl fight, and she doubted it would help her skills to beat the girl senseless.

"I suppose you don't think I'm a match for you?" Mercury said acidly, closing her book. "I'll have you know that I've been studying hand-to-hand combat all my life!" She waved her book in emphasis.

_On the other hand, maybe getting the sense knocked out of her would be a good thing_. Makoto gave a half shrug and turned away. "Sure, if you want to come that's fine," she said dismissively. They went to their rooms to retrieve armor and weapons then headed to the training grounds with the princess chattering incessantly the whole way.

Once there, Makoto began clipping her armor into place as Mercury did the same. Then, she hefted her staff and turned to the ring.

"Absolutely not!" a voice commanded from near her feet. She looked down to see the black cat glaring up at her and the white one coming toward them lugging a sack. "I will not have you taking another chance to kill each other!"

Makoto glanced at Mercury, who was staring ruefully at her long knives. She set her staff down with a sigh. "What are we supposed to fight with then?" she asked, not bothering to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"These," the white cat answered. He indicated the sack next to him. "We had them specially made to match your usual weapons."

With a feeling of dread, Makoto knelt and extracted a heavy wooden staff. She examined it sadly. No metal caps or serrated edges, just a pole that would probably make a better walking stick than a weapon. _Or kindling_, Makoto thought darkly.

Mercury dumped the rest of the contents unceremoniously on the ground. There was a wooden scimitar and short sword for Venus and Mars. Mercury picked up two thin wooden long knives and eyed them with distaste.

"What if we break these?" Makoto demanded.

The black cat shrugged. "There are spares. Besides it's not likely that you will, they're a lot stronger than they look," she added cheerfully. Mercury looked doubtful, but Makoto just stalked into the ring. _The sooner we smash all of these, the sooner we get our own weapons back, I suppose_.

They faced each other across the ring and Makoto began circling. Mercury remained still, watching her impassively. _Isn't she even going to try_? She thought in irritation. She swung around and brought the staff crashing down, intending to end the fight quickly. However, Mercury was no longer there. She had darted around and scored two touches on Makoto's back. She turned with an angry snort, swinging the pole crossways at her opponent. Mercury jumped over it lightly and swiped at her shoulder, scoring two more touches. Makoto swung it back in a quarter arc, saw Mercury tense to avoid her, and switched directions. The blow caught the smaller girl in the back, knocking her forward. However, instead of sprawling in the grass, she used the momentum to roll forward and catch Makoto in the back of her knees. She thrust her weapon down at the Mercurian but the move unbalanced her and she stumbled. The blue haired girl darted in, reversed her knives in her hands as she went and swung at her face.

She blinked slowly and looked around. She was on her back with the blue haired girl leaning over her, looking mildly concerned. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and was instantly rewarded with an intense pain behind her eyes. "What… what happened?" Makoto asked dumbly.

"Well," Mercury looked guiltily away for a moment, then said in a rush "I hit the pressure points in your temples and it made you temporarily lose consciousness. I didn't mean to do it that hard though, I must have miscalculated the momentum because of the differences in our heights. I'm sorry, you're going to have a head ache for at least a couple hours…"

Makoto sat up and groaned, clutching her head. The only thing Mercury had said that had penetrated the haze of pain was 'head ache'. "I did see a book on reflexology and healing in the common room," the blue haired girl continued, "so if you want I could check for anything that might alleviate it sooner."

"Ok," was all Makoto could manage. She couldn't help but be impressed by the Mercurian's unusual fighting style but was unsure what she'd actually done to her. She took the offered hand and struggled to her feet. Her head hurt too much to protest as Mercury slipped under her arm to support her back to the castle.

"That was amazing!" Serenity commented later, from her perch on the edge of the couch where Makoto had sprawled. She was in the process of placing a fresh ice pack on the tall girl's head. "You two are such good fighters!" she gushed. "I couldn't believe how fast everything happened…"

Makoto half-listened as she glanced at Mercury. She was sitting by her feet studying a book intently and muttering to herself. Then she smiled and snapped the book shut, causing her head to throb painfully. "I found something," she said triumphantly, moving closer. Without another word she picked up Makoto's hand and started pressing on various parts of it. After a while, the pain began to dull and her eyelids drooped. Soon she was sound asleep.

-Queen Serenity-

"At least they're not badly damaged this time," Setsuna said as she watched the three girls from a high window. She looked sideways at the queen, who was frowning.

"They still don't seem to like each other very much, though," she answered thoughtfully. "At least these two seem a little more at ease, but Venus and Mars…"

"Just give them time," Setsuna said soothingly, placing her hand over the queen's. "They're just children, after all. Once they get used to each other's ways I'm sure they'll start to bond."

Suddenly the queen straightened. "Bond…" she said thoughtfully. "I have an idea of how to help that," she said with an impish grin.


	4. Bonding

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine in any way, shape or form.

A/N: Thanks for the great reviews and feedback. Hope everyone continues to read and enjoy!

-1 A few days later, the four guards sat with the princess in stunned silence. Setsuna watched them in amusement as they stared at the queen with identical incredulous looks.

"A camping trip?" Venus sputtered. Setsuna wasn't surprised that she would be the first to recover her voice. "For a whole week?"

The queen smiled benignly at her, but Setsuna knew the fiendish pleasure she was getting from their reaction. "Certainly," she said calmly. "It will be a perfect opportunity for all of you to get to know each other better." There were hastily stifled mutterings at this. "Also, it will be good practice for guarding the princess."

At this, the subdued princess perked up. "I get to go too?" she squealed, causing everyone within earshot to wince.

"Of course," the queen said, smiling at her daughter's delight.

"What exactly do you think we'll be encountering that would require us to protect the princess? Do you have a list of predators in the area we can study?" Mercury waited expectantly with her computer open in her lap.

The queen chuckled. "Luna and Artemis can fill you in on the way, before they drop you off," she said breezily.

Mercury sagged slightly but Jupiter sat forward, looking more eager suddenly. "You mean they're not going to be there with us?" she asked, obviously trying not to smile.

"They'll be on the transport with you and will be close enough to come if you need them," the queen said carefully, "but no they won't be there. This is just a chance for all of you to bond."

The mutinous looks returned to Venus, Mercury and Jupiter. Mars, however, seemed resigned to the inevitable. "When do we leave?"

-Rei-

Rei stared into the campfire, contemplating their 'bonding experience'. It hadn't been as bad as she'd expected, so far. They'd been mostly silent as they set up camp, but now they all sat around the fire chatting casually. Well, she corrected herself, three of them were. She wasn't really used to this type of social interaction and so only spoke when asked a direct question. Venus, too, was unusually silent which Rei considered a small blessing.

"I really wasn't expecting so much plant life out here," Mercury commented, indicating the stunted shrubs that dotted the Lunar wilderness.

"The only real trees we have are shipped from other planets for the towns," Serenity answered. She stifled a yawn before continuing. "I think a lot of the ones at the palace are from Jupiter."

"I thought so," Jupiter herself chimed in. "I recognized a few in the courtyard."

"I believe that a lot of the plants in the gardens originate on Neptune, also," Mercury informed them. "Particularly the flowering ones."

Rei's gaze fell on Venus, who looked almost asleep leaning against her pack. The conversation was interrupted by a long wailing cry. Venus sat up abruptly, looking around in alarm. "What was that?"

"Probably a wolf or a panther," Mercury said immediately. All eyes turned to her. "Luna said that they're rare out here but that they have similar howls. Although it's not the mating season for panthers so it's more likely a wolf because they're pack animals and they use that sound to communicate." she added.

"Do you think it'll come over here?" Serenity asked nervously, looking around wide eyed as though expecting something to jump into the camp any second.

"I doubt it," Mercury reassured her. "They're not particularly aggressive unless they feel as though they're being threatened. Unless they're hunting of course," she mused. Then she noticed Serenity's reaction and added, "but the fire should keep them away."

Serenity moved closer to the fire, wedging herself between Jupiter and Mercury. They both gave her sideways looks but didn't seem overly bothered by her snuggling up to them. The princess just had a way about her that you couldn't help but like her presence, Rei decided.

She glanced at Venus, who was looking around nervously. Obviously she hadn't been as comforted by Mercury's speech. "There's nothing to worry about," Rei offered, trying to ease the blonde's nervousness.

Instantly Venus' head shot around to glare at her. _Here we go_, Rei thought in mild irritation.

"I'm not scared, Mars," she said acidly.

"I just thought… fine, whatever." Rei wasn't in the mood to deal with another explosion over an imagined insult.

"What is it about me that makes you think I'm so weak and cowardly?" Venus demanded, glaring across the fire at her. The other three watched the exchange silently.

Rei sighed in irritation. "I wasn't saying anything like that! I just thought you seemed worried about-"

"So you Do think I'm a coward!" Venus snarled, standing up. "Well, I am not going to sit here and be insulted by the likes of you!" She turned on her heel and stalked away into the darkness.

Rei closed her eyes and rubbed her hand over her face, trying to calm down. _How does that always happen? This is getting ridiculous_. When she opened her eyes again, Mercury was watching her passively. "What?" Rei demanded, harsher than she meant to.

Mercury raised her eyebrows. "Nothing, you just weren't very nice to her," she said coolly.

"Me?" Rei practically shouted. "She's the one- I was just… I mean…" She faltered under the azure stare. She dropped her gaze to the fire. "I wasn't trying to be mean to her, I was just trying to make her feel better," she said in a small voice.

"Should we go get her?" Serenity wondered out loud. She was clearly still worried about the Lunar predators.

"I'll do it," Rei said grumpily. She buckled on her sword belt just in case and headed off into the night.

-Venus-

Minako kicked moodily at a clump of loose ground. _Who does she think she is?_ she mentally raged. _How dare she call me a coward? Well_, said another voice, _that's not exactly what she said_… She sighed. _Maybe I did over react a little… Again… _

A branch cracked off to her right, and she reached for her sword only to realize in horror that she'd left it at the camp. She squinted through the darkness, trying to make out a shape. Just then there was a rustle behind her. She turned toward the sound, instinctively dropping into a fighting crouch. Moments later, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. She leapt at the figure, tackling it to the ground.

"Oof! Venus what-!"

She stopped struggling with the figure and stared down into the startled and angry eyes of Mars. She stumbled to her feet and brushed herself off, thankful for the darkness that hid her face. _Great, now she's going to think I'm a paranoid idiot,_ she admonished silently.

"What the hell?" Mars demanded, getting to her feet as well. They glared at each other for a moment.

Finally Minako decided to be the bigger person. "I'm sorry. I thought you were- Hello? I'm apologizing here! The least you could do is look at me!" She said in irritation. Mars' gaze had traveled past her and was staring intently past her shoulder. "Mars, what-"

"Shh! I thought I heard… shit!"

Minako turned and saw a dark shape advancing on them. The clouds shifted just in time for the earthlight to illuminate a large shaggy wolf. It's hackles were raised and it uttered a low growl. _What a time to forget my sword! _she thought in anguish.

She dropped to a fighting crouch, keeping the animal in her sights, but Mars laid a hand on her shoulder. She sounded entirely too calm, considering their situation, as she whispered, "Mercury said they're pack animals. There's bound to be more of them around."

Minako ran the odds in her head. Two of them, only one armed, against the entire pack… it didn't look good. "We should try to outrun them," she whispered back. "There should be a river a little to the south of us. I saw it on the way here."

"A river? But-"

"Run!" she yelled as the wolf lunged. She delivered a snap kick that deflected it, but there was rustling on both sides of them and there wasn't time to discuss strategy. She grabbed Mars' arm and dragged her along, trying to picture the landscape as she ran. Sure enough, in a few minutes she heard the rushing of water that meant they were close. She stopped to catch her breath and strained to judge the direction of the river.

"Watch out!" Before she had a chance to register what had happened, Mars had pushed her onto the ground. She turned just as the huge shaggy animal slammed into the dark haired girl, exactly where she'd been standing a moment ago. It sank long razor teeth into the forearm she'd thrown up to protect her throat. Minako saw a glint of metal as both figures went down. It was over in an instant and Minako rushed over to help move the dead beast off her comrade. Mars' face was screwed up in pain and Minako dropped to her knees beside her. "Are you alright?"

Mars nodded, gritting her teeth as Minako helped her up. "Yea," she gasped, "Just my ribs."

Minako felt a twinge of guilt. Before she could speak, however, she heard branches cracking and remembered the rest of the pack. "Come on," she dragged the Martian after her to the water's edge.

"Wait, I can't-" The rest of whatever Mars had been about to say was lost as they plunged into the freezing water.

Minako started swimming frantically to the other shore. A gasp and sputter made her turn. Mars was struggling desperately, trying to keep her head above the water and Minako realized what she'd been trying to say earlier. "You can't swim?" Mars tried to respond but disappeared under the surface. Forcing herself not to panic, Minako reached out desperately and caught hold of her shirt. She looked at the closer shore where half a dozen wolves were pacing restlessly but not following them into the water. _Thank the gods for small miracles_, she thought as she struggled in the opposite direction while holding onto Mars.

Her muscles were burning by the time she felt solid ground under her feet. Both girls collapsed on the bank, gasping for breath. "Are you alright?" Minako turned toward her companion. She nodded shakily, rolling onto her back. "How's your arm?" Mars shrugged, still breathing heavily. Minako examined the ring of punctures. The slowly oozing blood was mixing with the water droplets on her skin. "Can I borrow your knife?"

Mars stared at her as if she'd grown two heads. "My knife?" she repeated.

"Just for a second. Please?" she added more gently. Mars gave her a dubious look before she pulled it out, flipped it in her hand and handed it to her hilt first. She cut a strip from around the bottom of her own shirt and tied it like a bandage around Mars' bleeding forearm.

She settled back, resting on her elbows as she watched the dark haired girl carefully sheathe the blade. "Why did you do that?" she asked finally.

"Do what?" Mars turned her head slightly to stare at her quizzically.

"You… you pushed me out of the way. You let yourself get hurt instead of me. Why?" Minako watched as a series of emotions flickered across the Martian's face, before becoming guarded once more.

"You didn't have a weapon," she said with a shrug. "It could have killed you."

"It could have killed you, too." Minako felt unexpectedly cold at the thought.

Mars had pushed herself into a sitting position and was watching her warily. "I didn't mean it like that," she said carefully. "I know you can take care of yourself. It was just a reaction."

Minako tilted her head slightly. Mars seemed braced for something, her whole body was still like a hunted animal. "Why are you acting like I'm going to bite your head off?" she asked in confusion.

Mars' mouth dropped open. Suddenly she burst out laughing, the first time Minako had ever heard her laugh. Then she got the joke and couldn't help but laugh as well. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't be the first time," she admitted sheepishly. "I tend to read into things a little too much."

"I noticed," Mars said with a smile. Something must have shown on Minako's face because she added quickly. "It's ok, I've been told that I don't always have a lot of tact."

"Try none," Minako corrected with a grin. They both laughed again. She gazed at the dark haired girl for a moment. "Are you sure you're ok Mars?" she asked seriously.

"Rei."

"What?"

"My name's Rei," she said with a smile, formally holding out her hand.

"Minako," she answered, grasping the offered hand and grinning. "So," she continued as she glanced around, "do you have any idea how to get back to the camp, Rei?"

Rei sighed heavily and laid back on the soft bank. "Nope, we should probably just wait here. They're bound to find us sooner or later."

Minako nodded and laid down beside her, staring up at the starry night sky. _We might as well sleep for a little while_, she thought, _there's not much else we can do_. In her mind, she replayed the scene by the riverbank. She watched in slow motion as Rei pushed her out of the way, taking the blow herself. There was no fear in her eyes, just determination and raw courage. _She saved my life…_

"Rei?" She turned toward the Martian, whose eyes were closed.

"Yes, Minako?" came the sleepy response.

"Thank you."

Rei opened her eyes and turned toward her, holding her gaze for a moment before smiling. "Any time. Good night."

"Good night."

-Ami-

Ami woke slowly, hearing her joints crack as she stretched. _I'm never sleeping on the ground again_, she promised herself. She was laying on her back and felt something warm pressed against her arm. She sat up and looked down to find Serenity still wedged between them. Makoto was fast asleep facing away from them and Serenity was cuddled against her back, snoring lightly.

She shook her head in amusement at how easily the princess trusted them. It was an odd feeling, but rather nice. She stoked the dying embers of the fire, trying to get it going. It was still dark but the earthlight cast a pale glow over everything. She surveyed the camp blearily then suddenly snapped wide awake.

"Makoto. Serenity, wake up." she shook the two vigorously.

Makoto woke quickly, turning her head slightly with a mildly confused look. Serenity mumbled something about 'five more minutes' before snuggling closer to Makoto's back. "What's wrong?" Makoto asked thickly.

"Mars and Venus didn't come back."

Makoto sat up quickly at the news, glancing around to confirm it. Her pillow gone, Serenity sat up as well. "What's going on?"

"Maybe we should call Luna and Artemis," Ami said uncertainly.

Makoto scowled. "Let's try to find them," she suggested. "Princess Serenity?"

"You don't have to call me p-p-princess," Serenity reminded her as she yawned widely.

"We need to go find Mars and Venus," Makoto explained. "Will you be alright here for a little while?"

She gave them a wide eyed stare. "Can't I go with you?" She sounded close to tears at the thought of being left alone. Makoto gave Ami a questioning look and Ami shrugged.

"Sure," Makoto said with a grin as she pulled the blond to her feet. They dressed quickly. Ami slipped her shoulder harness on and sheathed her knives, then grabbed her computer. Makoto handed the princess her cloak, hefted her staff and fixed it into place on her back, then started off in the direction the others had gone.

They walked in silence for a while, pausing often as Makoto checked for signs of the others' passing. Ami pulled up a map of the area and traced their path on the screen with a stylus. She almost tripped over Makoto, who had suddenly knelt to examine a set of tracks. Ami looked over her shoulder and examined the paw print the taller girl pointed out, then opened a second window to search the wildlife database she'd downloaded from Luna.

"Wolves," she said quietly, comparing the image on the screen to the print.

"Do you think they're alright?" Serenity asked tremulously, clutching her hands to her chest.

"I hope so," Ami said quietly.

"They went this way," Makoto said, pointing to an unremarkable patch of ground. Ami had a moment to lament her own lack of tracking skills before the Jovian strode off and Ami and Serenity were forced to jog to keep up. They stopped at the edge of a river. Serenity gasped, most likely thinking the worst. Ami shielded her eyes, searching the area. "There!" Makoto pointed across the river where they saw something bright yellow that stood out sharply against the gray surroundings.

Ami checked her map again. "There's a bridge about a hundred yards west of here." The three of them ran down the river where, thankfully, a sturdy looking bridge still stood.

Ami followed Makoto's long back as she crashed through the underbrush. She could hear the princess panting behind her. This time, she did run into Makoto, who had skidded to a halt.

"It looks like they're ok," she said with a chuckle. Ami came up next to her and smiled at the scene. Mars and Venus were fast asleep, Venus with her head on Mars' shoulder and one arm draped across her.

"Aw," Serenity grinned at them, "I almost don't want to wake them. They look so cute."

Mars stirred at the sound of their voices. Her eyes flew open, panicked for a moment, before her expression went blank at the sight of them. Then she noticed Venus. Her face flushed darkly as she disentangled herself and stood hastily. "We were just…" she trailed off, blushing furiously.

"I guess you're not fighting any more?" Makoto asked innocently. Serenity laughed and Ami smiled in spite of herself.

Mars glared at them then knelt to shake the sleeping guard awake. "Mmm," she opened her eyes slowly. "You found us…" She made to go back to sleep and Mars shook her again.

"How did you find us?" Mars asked with an air of someone who desperately wants to change the subject.

"Makoto followed your trail," Ami explained.

Mars looked at her blankly for a moment before comprehending. "Oh, Jupiter? I mean, thanks… Makoto."

"It wasn't hard, really," she said with a grin as she indicated the blond sitting on the ground. "It's a good thing she dresses like that, she's like a beacon out here."

"Hey!" Venus feigned indignation then smiled.

Makoto offered a hand and helped her up. "Let's go back to the camp."

-Rei-

The five of them lounged around the fire, talking amiably. It had been a fun week, although not as eventful after the first night. Rei watched her companions shake with laughter as they listened to Minako tell an involved story.

"…and no one wanted to tell the chief advisor what I'd done, so he spent the entire ceremony with a pink ponytail in his wig! When he finally noticed, he was so mad he wanted my father to ground me for the rest of my life! Daddy just laughed and said at least I had the good taste to pick a color that matched the drapes!"

The others had tears in their eyes, they were laughing so hard. Rei chuckled too. When she wasn't arguing with someone Minako was actually kind of fun to be around. She gazed at the strip of yellow cloth wrapped around her forearm and her mind cast back to their first morning, when she'd woken to find Minako cuddled against her. She firmly pushed the image out of her head. She just had to accept that people from Venus were more physical than anyone from Mars. She would just have to get used to it.

"Good to see all of you getting along," a voice called to them. They turned to see Artemis and Luna strolling toward them. "How was everything?" he asked, settling down by the fire.

"Great!" Serenity cried, and immediately launched into the detailed account of their week. Rei couldn't help but smile at their eccentric princess. She caught Minako's eye and received a cheery grin from the blond, who seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Well," Luna said after the princess had finished her tale, "It seems the queen knew what she was doing after all. Shall we pack up and head back?"


	5. Birthday Surprise

Disclaimer: I dont own Sailor Moon. Or any of the other sailor scouts.

A/N: Thanks everyone for the continued support. This is my first fic so I'm really glad people are liking it! Also this chapter is a little shorter, but don't worry it's mostly just an intro to the next one.

-Rei-

-1 The door to her room was thrown open. Rei sat up, instantly awake, but was immediately knocked flat by the blond who had launched herself on top of her. "Rei, wake up! Guess what?"

Rei struggled out from under the excitable girl and sat up cross-legged. "Good morning, Princess," she said with a small smile.

Serenity turned so she was balanced on her knees. Rei braced herself just in case she decided to pounce her again. The girl fixed her with a beady blue stare. "Rei," she said with a long suffering sigh, "are you ever going to call me by my name?"

Rei cleared her throat and shifted her feet so they dangled over the edge of the bed. "I do sometimes," she said evasively before changing the subject. "So what am I guessing?"

Serenity's face fell as she watched her. "You mean you don't remember what day it is?"

Then Rei smiled. _That would explain why the princess was the first out of bed._ "Of course I do. Happy birthday."

Serenity squealed and launched herself on the wary Martian again. Rei gave her an awkward pat on the back. "I knew you wouldn't forget! I have the best idea for how to celebrate! We should hurry up and get breakfast so we can get ready for the ball and then- but I have to wake up the others first! They're going to be so excited…!" Her voice faded as she ran out the door and disappeared around the corner. Distantly, there was a bang and a squeal of "Minako wake up!"

Rei stood, stretching and shaking her head at the antics of the princess. Today was her sixteenth birthday. It had been a year and a half since she had arrived in the Moon Kingdom, but some days it still amazed her how much all of them had changed.

"Serenity? What the hell do you think you're doing!" Minako's outraged voice floated toward her. _Then again_, she thought with a chuckle, _some things were exactly the same. _

"Morning," Makoto said, leaning against the doorway with an amused expression on her face. She seemed to be in good spirits this morning. "Did you get a royal wake up call, too? You look a little ruffled."

Rei rolled her eyes and went to stand beside the taller girl, watching chaos ensue in the hallway. With a giggle, Serenity went flying past them with an irate Venusian close on her heels.

Minako skidded to a halt when she saw her audience and glared, crossing her arms defensively in front of her chest. Serenity made her escape into Mercury's room. "Ami, save me!" they heard her shriek.

Rei turned away from the entertaining scene and back to the rumpled and disgruntled blond who was glaring daggers at them both. She was fast becoming an imposing beauty; she even managed to look sultry in yellow pajamas and with messy hair. "Something funny, Jupiter?" she demanded.

Everyone knew that Minako reverted to formal titles when she was in the throes of righteous anger. However, the contrast between her expression and her appearance seemed to further entertain the taller girl hiding behind Rei. "Your face…" she managed between laughs.

Minako's expression darkened. "What exactly do you mean by that? Are you implying that I don't look attractive first thing in the morning after being rudely awakened by a lunatic?"

It seemed to Rei that Minako couldn't help it. She just had a short fuse, and in their time together Makoto had found dozens of ways to ignite it. She was now laughing too hard to speak at all, and Rei saw the incensed blond ball her hands into fists. Recognizing what was coming, Rei discretely stepped to the side.

Makoto seemed to notice that there was no longer a body between her and the angry blond. "I'm- I'm going to go rescue Ami," she gasped, still laughing as she turned tail and disappeared into Mercury's room. There was a shrill yell and a loud crash.

Minako narrowed her eyes at Rei, daring the Martian to say something. Rei, however, had learned that silence was the best defense in these situations since anything she said right now would instantly be translated into an insult. Instead she kept her face impassive as she offered a small bow. "I'm going to see if breakfast is ready."

Foiled, Minako padded along behind her. Luna and Artemis were already in the common room waiting for them. Also, the table had been piled high with all of Serenity's favorite breakfast foods. "Good morning," Rei inclined her head to the cats before sitting down.

Ami slipped in behind them, looking frazzled, and took a chair opposite the other two guards. "What happened to-" Minako began, but she broke off when the blue haired girl discretely gestured to her right. In unison, the three turned toward the door.

The first thing they saw was stocking covered feet much higher in the air than normal. Then Makoto emerged, grinning and carrying a squirming princess over her shoulder. "It's her birthday, so you know what that means!" she crowed before seeing Luna and Artemis.

She hastily set Serenity down and grinned sheepishly at them. "Er, good morning," she offered. She scrambled to her seat and tried to look innocent, failing miserably. Serenity curtsied to them and skipped to her chair, giggling.

Artemis looked like he wanted to laugh but Luna shot him a warning look before she spoke. "Good morning. Happy birthday your majesty," she inclined her head to Serenity, who gave her a goofy grin. "Tonight, the queen wishes to have a formal dinner and a ball in honor of the princess. It will be a masquerade so let the servants know what type of costume you would like."

Rei groaned inwardly, and focused on her plate as Artemis added, "I'm sure this goes without saying by now, but we expect all of you to be on your best behavior." He let his gaze travel over them, stopping pointedly on Rei then Minako.

Minako flared up instantly and opened her mouth to retort, but Serenity beat her to it. "Of course we will, Artemis, don't worry." She flashed him a dazzling smile. He narrowed his eyes at this as though it was suspicious for them to be so agreeable. Finally he nodded and followed Luna out. They waited in silence as the door closed before returning to their food.

"A masquerade, this is perfect!" Serenity said between mouthfuls. This was hardly surprising, since they all knew how much she loved parties, but Ami cocked her head slightly.

"Perfect for what exactly?" Ami asked, raising an eyebrow. Rei watched the exchange, momentarily forgetting her breakfast.

Serenity's face had split into a wicked grin. "I have a great idea for tonight."

"For a costume?" Makoto suggested. All four of them were burning with curiosity now. The princess wasn't the type to be able to keep secrets, especially from them.

Then Rei remembered their early morning exchange. "You already knew there was a ball tonight, you said so earlier."

All heads turned to Rei then back to Serenity, whose grin widened. "I know." She lowered her voice and leaned closer in, the four guards unconsciously doing the same. "I'm not going."

"What?"

"Shh!" she warned. They had yelled simultaneously, endangering the apparently covert mission. "Just meet me in my room after dinner tonight, I'll explain everything." On that enigmatic note she returned her attention to her plate, leaving them to wonder just what the princess had planned.

-Serenity-

Serenity double-checked the five bundles in her room, hidden under the bed. She felt mildly guilty for deceiving her mother and Setsuna, but shoved the feeling away. _I'm not just a princess_, she reminded herself, _I'm also a girl and it's my birthday. I deserve a little fun._

"Princess?"

She jumped guiltily when Luna poked her head through the doorway. "I was just… shoes," she finished lamely, indicating her feet.

Luna narrowed her eyes suspiciously, then shrugged. "If you're ready, your majesty, I'll escort you and your guards to the main hall for dinner."

Serenity nodded, straightening her pearly white gown as she followed. The others were already in the hall waiting. She gasped when she saw them. She was so used to them in casual clothes or armor, it was a shock to see them looking so formal.

Makoto was standing awkwardly, fiddling with the silky emerald sash at her waist that kirtled a flowing forest green gown. Ami seemed equally uncomfortable. She blushed lightly as Serenity's eyes slid over her surprisingly low cut baby blue dress. Rei was scowling at the floor. Her muscled shoulders were tense above the black bodice of her dress and her hand was resting on a bulge at the hip of her long crimson skirt where Serenity assumed she'd hidden her ever-present knife. Minako was the only one who didn't seem bothered by her outfit, which consisted of silken folds of orange and yellow. She was, however, keeping her eyes carefully averted from her fellow guards.

"You all look amazing," Serenity breathed. There were muttered thanks and assorted shuffling as she joined them to head to the hall.

She rushed through the meal, trying to contain her excitement. As she ate, she ignored the curious looks her guards were giving her as well as the disapproving ones from Setsuna. As soon as she finished, she leapt to her feet, barely remembering to curtsey to the table. "I'm going to go get ready for tonight," she announced.

"Serenity," her mother called her over. "Happy birthday. Have fun tonight." She gave her a knowing look and Serenity blanched. _Does she know what I'm planning?_ Her mother merely smiled.

"I will, thank you," she said in a small voice. She turned to go but her mother spoke again.

"Serenity?" She turned back. "Don't forget to take your guards, they look like they've finished eating and I'm sure they'd like to help you get ready." Her mother held her gaze again then turned back to the table with a smile.

_She knows_, she thought as she glanced at her guards. They were instantly on their feet and following. _She knows, but she isn't going to stop me_… She felt a rush of affection for her mother.

As soon as they were out of sight of the hall, she broke into a jog. She heard the others behind her but didn't stop until she'd reached her room. Once there, she whipped her dress immodestly over her head and pulled the bundles from under the bed. Her guards stared in shocked silence as she pulled on a pair of dark blue pants and white shirt from one of the bundles.

She turned to them and grinned; they were all still rooted to their spots staring at her. Laughing, she took a strip of blue cloth and tied her hair back, letting a few stray wisps hang around her face. "What do you think?"

Ami cocked her head to the side and studied her pensively. Minako watched with her mouth slightly open, seemingly lost for words. Rei frowned but didn't speak. Makoto, however, let out a bark of laughter and grinned at her. "Which one is mine?" she asked excitedly.

Serenity handed her the bundle that was tied with a dark green belt. She undid it and quickly exchanged her dress for the gray pants and dark green shirt, grinning as she did up the belt.

Ami looked away, blushing, but Minako finally found her voice. "What exactly are we doing?" she demanded, looking back and forth between the pair. "I thought you didn't want to go to the masquerade?"

"I don't," Serenity answered. She handed the pack with black pants and a pale yellow shirt to her. "We're sneaking out!"

Minako took the bundle mutely, eyes wide in shock. Ami simply stared at the clothes that were being held out to her. "We can't!" she choked out. "You can't be serious! Where are we going to go? Everyone in the castle is going to the ball!" Ami looked like she might start hyperventilating.

Rei smirked at her and stepped forward to claim the remaining package. She shook out the black pants, sleeveless matching shirt and belt, studying them. "We don't really have a choice," she said to Ami as she tore off her dress and threw it in a pile. "She's going to go and it's our duty to protect her. She slid her sheath onto the black belt and positioned her knife at her hip.

"You're not all seriously going along with this?" Ami demanded, her voice going up another octave. Soon only dogs would be able to hear her. She stared at them, azure eyes wide behind her glasses.

Minako shrugged as she checked herself out in the mirror. "It might be fun, Ami. Besides we hardly ever get to leave the palace."

"Yea," Makoto added, "It's not good for our princess to be cooped up in here all the time."

Ami turned to Rei, mouthing soundlessly. Rei stared at her for a moment, her expression unreadable, then arched an eyebrow and bent to tie her boots. Finally Ami turned back to the princess, sighed heavily and held out her hand for her clothes.

With a squeal of delight, Serenity ran to her closet and pulled out five dark colored cloaks. "Now, the finishing touch," she pulled five black masks from her dresser drawer and handed them out with a flourish. She tied on her mask and grinned at them. "Shall we?"


	6. Night Out

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine!

A/N: Woo Happy New Year Everyone!

-Minako-

-1 Minako took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air and quiet. She never minded being in the castle, but Serenity had been right, it was nice to escape for a while. She was mildly surprised that it had been so easy to leave the palace grounds. The guards at the front gate had barely challenged them, since people in masks were flowing in and out of the gates. _With all of those people, there's no way anyone will miss us. She really thought this out well_, Minako realized in mild surprise.

She glanced at her companions. Serenity had her arm linked with Makoto and the two were giggling happily. Ami seemed mildly disgruntled, probably because the princess had forbidden her to bring her computer. Minako understood though, the Mercurian tended to be a little antisocial when it was within reach. Rei was silent and expressionless as always.

Minako walked closer to her and nudged her arm. Rei looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "So where are we headed?" Minako pitched her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Well, first we should find a place to hide the cloaks and masks until we're ready to go back," Ami said immediately. They looked at her questioningly and she huffed, still not over the forced separation from her computer. "We can't walk around with these on or everyone will know who we are," she said as though they should already have thought of it. She pulled off her mask to point out the royal crest etched into it.

"Here," Makoto stopped and held out her hand for their accessories. She bundled them all together and stuck them in the crook of a nearby tree. "Now, lets go to the pub. I think Ami could stand to loosen up a bit," she joked, elbowing the smaller girl in the ribs.

Minako couldn't help but laugh at the Jovian's antics. They went to the first one they saw when they entered the town. She stopped in the doorway to scan the room. It was relatively clean and very crowded. She looked at her friends to see their reactions. Rei and Ami wore identical scowls, Serenity looked nervous and Makoto excited.

"Come on, Princess, you're not losing your nerve are you?" The tall girl asked playfully. Serenity shook her head, still wide eyed. She caught Makoto's arm and let her lead the way through the crowd.

"I still don't know if this is a good idea," Ami said doubtfully.

Minako turned back to her and tilted her head. "What are you worried about? There's no palace guards here, I already checked."

"It's just…" Ami blushed and looked away. "I've never drank before," she finished quietly.

"Seriously?" Minako couldn't fathom the idea. Coming from Venus, she'd been drinking all her life. It was, after all, a planet of excess; wild parties were a nightly occurrence.

Ami shrugged and gave her a half smile. "Anything that dulls your mind is frowned upon on Mercury."

"I've never drank either," Rei added, still looking extremely uninterested in everything around her. "I just never had the urge."

Minako took a moment to digest this information, then grinned. "You don't know what you're missing!" She grabbed them each by a hand and dragged them to where Makoto and Serenity had found a table. There was a large pitcher of ale on the table and Makoto set a stack of glasses next to it.

"Just in time," she laughed as a server set five shots of some amber liquor in front of them.

Ami picked one up uncertainly, holding it up to the light to examine it. Rei picked up another and brought it close to smell it. She made a face and set it down quickly. "You expect us to drink that?" she demanded, eyeing the offending glass.

Makoto filled the larger glasses from the pitcher and passed them out. "What you do is take a deep breath out, drink it in one swallow, then take a drink of this," she explained, pointing to the small and large glasses in turn.

Minako glanced at Rei with a lopsided grin. "Not scared are you?" she asked quietly. As expected, the Martian's eyes narrowed and she picked up a shot quickly.

"To the Princess of the Moon!" Makoto said loudly, raising her glass. Much to their amusement, the cheer was echoed by quite a few of the patrons around them. They grinned and clinked the glasses together before draining them.

Five rounds later found them wandering unsteadily toward a different pub. "This is the best birthday ever!" Serenity slurred. She snaked one hand around Makoto's waist and slung the other over Ami's shoulders, almost knocking all three of them over.

Rather than lecturing, Ami let out a very uncharacteristic giggle. Minako was beside Rei walking a few steps behind them. She looked sideways at her silent companion. "How are you feeling?" Rei made a noncommittal noise and shrugged. Minako smiled and linked her arm with the Martian's. Rei stiffened but didn't pull away.

"That one looks like… looks like…" Makoto struggled to find the right words.

"A good idea!" Ami supplied happily. She stepped sideways, causing a ripple in their human chain.

They piled into another pub, this one not as busy. The bartender looked up for a moment, then shook his head knowingly. "There's a table," Rei pointed to one by the wall.

"There's a chair!" Ami answered, laughing uproariously.

"There's a floor too," Makoto added, joining in on the joke.

Rei scowled at the pair as she stared around with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Serenity giggled as she sat down. A server appeared and she promptly ordered another round of drinks for them. Makoto took the chair next to the princess and Ami sat in her lap, seemingly oblivious that there was someone already in the chair.

Minako shook her head and sat across from them, then scanned the bar. She met the eyes of a group of villagers who were watching them with interest. Minako winked at one and they all dissolved into giggles, whispering to each other and gesturing at them. Rei sat down beside her, taking a glass of liquor and downing it without comment. The villagers at the bar spotted her and smiled, but Rei didn't seem to notice.

"Rei, you're awfully popular tonight," Serenity pointed out. She'd obviously noticed the attention their dark haired friend was receiving.

Rei's head shot up like a startled animal. "What do you mean?" she asked in alarm. Serenity gestured toward their small audience and laughed as Rei flushed darkly and stared at the table.

Minako watched them, too, feeling an unfamiliar twinge. She narrowed her eyes, suddenly not feeling so friendly toward the strangers.

"Why don't you go talk to them?" Serenity asked innocently. Rei's eyes widened in horror at the prospect and Makoto couldn't help but laugh too.

"When did you get so shy?" she asked, reaching across the table to poke her arm. She jumped away as though she'd been burned and stood up. Mumbling something about needing air, she strode away from the table and out the door.

-Rei-

Rei stumbled slightly when she hit the outside air. She glanced around uncertainly, blinking as her surroundings came into focus. She spotted a low wall a little ways from the pub entrance and sat down heavily. Her thoughts were jumbled, _probably from the alcohol, _she thought darkly. The crowds in such close proximity was just too much for her, she decided.

"Rei?" a tentative voice asked from a few feet away. She turned toward Minako, who was watching her uncertainly. "Is everything ok?"

Rei looked away and nodded, not quite trusting her voice. _All of these unfamiliar feelings… I've been away from home too long._

"There's nothing wrong with being shy, you know," she said gently. Rei looked back to find that she had sat down beside her and was watching her intently. "It's kind of endearing." A smile played at the corners or her lips and Rei found herself mesmerized. She stared at the ruby lips as the smile widened, hardly aware that they were moving towards her.

Minako placed a warm hand on the side of her face, and Rei's eyes were drawn upward to the deep cerulean pools. "Rei…" she whispered.

There was a crash and a very familiar shout. Both heads whipped around to stare at the pub entry. Then Rei jumped up and raced inside with Minako right behind. The sight that met her was not what she'd been expecting. An uncharacteristically furious princess was being restrained by Makoto, while Ami was trying to soothe a tall man who was soaking wet. He looked just as furious as Serenity.

Rei saw him raise his arm and instinctively moved between them. "Is there a problem?" she asked, her voice deadly quiet.

"Yes!" he shouted. "That crazy bitch threw her drink on me!"

Rei felt Minako's restraining hand on her arm, keeping her from drawing her knife. "You look like you'll survive," Minako told him, eyeing him coldly. Over her shoulder she said, "I think it's time we left."

"What's your hurry?" he asked, his angry sneer changing to a suggestive leer. "Maybe you should stick around and have some fun. I've always heard that Venusians like a good time." He reached toward her and she stepped back sharply in disgust.

Feeling her arm freed, Rei hauled back and hit him in the jaw. He keeled over and landed in an unconscious heap on the floor. His friends yelled in outrage and before any of them knew what was happening, it had become a full-on brawl. Rei saw one of them lifting a chair and drove her fist into his stomach, knocking him back against the bar. Makoto flew past her as she tackled someone else and proceeded to throttle him. Hands grabbed her shoulders and she turned in time to see Ami free her with a vicious uppercut to the man's chin.

Out of nowhere Minako was thrown against her, knocking both of them against the table and onto the floor. She gasped as the blond landed on top of her and knocked the air from her lungs. Their eyes met for a moment and time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. Minako blushed and rolled off of her, clearing her view at the perfect moment to see princess Serenity punch the man who had pushed Minako squarely in the nose.

"Everybody freeze!" a voice commanded. Rei scrambled to her feet and felt her stomach plummet as she stared at a dozen men in the uniform of the Lunar Militia. "You're all under arrest. Everyone keep your hands where I can see them."

-Minako-

Minako stared straight ahead as they were escorted toward the town lock up. _We're going to be in so much trouble_, she thought ruefully. _I never should have gone along with this._

Ahead of her, Serenity was arguing with the guard who had a firm grip on her upper arm. "But you don't understand!" She tried to glare but her eyes were unfocused. "I'm the princess of the Moon!"

The guard chuckled. "Nice try sweetheart, but tonight is the Princess's birthday and she's up at the palace at her party."

"If only I had my computer," Ami wailed in drunken anguish. "I could prove who we are, or send a message up to the palace."

"And tell them what? We snuck out and got the princess drunk and into a bar fight?" Makoto groaned. The two guards flanking her shot her concerned glances.

Rei was the only one who was silent, walking placidly beside her guard. Minako wondered what was going through her head. It seemed to be a hopeless situation. Also, her head was starting to ache from the alcohol. She sighed in frustration.

They passed a very familiar looking tree and suddenly Minako remembered their stashed disguises. "Rei, the masks!" she hissed. Rei looked over her shoulder at her, then followed her gaze to the tree. Comprehension dawned and she ducked past her guard and sprinted away. She scuttled up the tree and disappeared, dropping down a moment later with the bundle clutched to her chest.

Several guards had chased after her but seemed confused as she walked calmly back to them. "Here," she thrust the bundle into his arms. "these are ours. Check the masks, the royal crest is on the back."

He looked at the pile of clothes in his arms then back to her as she walked back to her place in line. He sifted through it and the color drained from his face as he found a mask and flipped it over. "I… but…" He looked back at them again. Then with a look of increasing dread, he turned to Serenity who was watching him smugly.

"Princess!" he shouted, dropping into a bow. "I'm so sorry, we didn't recognize you!" The guard beside her let go of her arm and she wobbled dangerously. Makoto caught her just as she fell and everyone converged on them.

"Princess!"

"Is she alright?"

"What happened?"

"Give her some air," Minako yelled as she pushed through them. She knelt down to examine her, then had to force herself not to laugh. "She fell asleep," she whispered. Sure enough a moment later she let out a grating snore.

Makoto met her eyes for a moment, stifled a smile, then stood and addressed the guards. "We are the Princess's private guards, and she's had a very long night." She indicated the sleeping blond in her arms. "Would you be so kind as to escort us back to the castle?"

Several of them scrambled forward, but the rest of the guards looked at the group of scruffy drunk men they had in tow. "Ma'am are they with you as well?" one of the guards asked politely.

"No," Minako shot the thugs a withering look. "They were the ones who insulted the honor of the Princess and started the fight. Do whatever you like with them." The remaining guards grinned and shoved the men roughly away.

Their own escort left them inside the front gates with much apologizing and bowing. They didn't run into very many people inside the palace grounds, since almost everyone was asleep. Minako was just starting to think they had gotten away cleanly when she stepped into the common room and stopped in her tracks.

_Damn._

"Where have you been!" Luna demanded immediately. "We spent the night searching the entire palace for you!" She paused to give them a beady stare and her eyes widened. "You're bleeding! Have you been fighting again? Ack! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PRINCESS?"

Makoto had just followed her in with Serenity still asleep in her arms. She laid her gently down on the couch before turning to stand at attention before the two cats. She stared straight ahead looking unsteady and rather pained. Before they could answer, Rei entered with Ami's arm around her shoulders. She dragged the limp Mercurian to the couch and let her slide down to sprawl by Serenity's feet. Then Rei moved to stand on Minako's other side.

"Where have you been?" Luna yelled.

"We took the princess out for her birthday," Minako answered.

"Out?"

Minako looked at Makoto and Rei for help, but Makoto looked pale and ready to collapse and Rei was staring stubbornly ahead. Her gaze shifted guiltily to where Serenity and Ami were and she saw Artemis checking them. "They're drunk," he said flatly.

"WHAT?" Luna screamed. "You took the princess out and got her drunk? DRUNK?"

Minako winced at the tone and volume, which made her feel like Luna was hitting her in the head with a hammer. "We didn't intend for it to get so out of hand-"

But Luna wouldn't let her finish. "Out of hand?" she demanded. "What exactly happened?" Minako looked at the wall again.

"They got into a fight at a local pub and got arrested," a cool voice sounded behind her. Minako wished she could melt into the floor. Of all the people to witness the mess they'd gotten into, Lady Pluto was the last one she wanted to deal with. She would much rather have Luna scream at them for the rest of the night.

Minako turned around sharply, forcing herself to face her. Makoto and Rei followed suit. She surveyed them cooly before asking the question they were all dreading. "Whose idea was this?"

"Mine," all three of them said immediately. Minako winced inwardly.

"Really," Pluto gazed at each of them in turn. "I thought as much." She turned to Luna and Artemis. "Shall we let them get some sleep? The Princess put them through quite a lot tonight." Minako gaped at her. _How did she know_?

"It wasn't…" Minako began, but she couldn't meet Pluto's gaze.

"Your loyalty is admirable, all of you. Next time, just try to remember that not everyone in this castle is as clueless as you seem to believe." She smiled then, and it seemed genuine instead of appraising. "Can the three of you get them to bed?" They nodded in unison. "Good night."

Minako heard Makoto let her breath out in a puff. "I thought we were done for," she murmured. She went to the couch and effortlessly picked up Ami, who was apparently dead to the world. "I'll get her if you two can take care of Serenity," she called over her shoulder as she left the room.

Silently, they each took an arm and managed to maneuver her into her bedroom. Minako arranged her pillows and Rei pulled the blankets over her. As they turned to leave, she stirred.

"Minako? Rei?" she looked at them blearily. "This was my best birthday ever. Thank you."

Minako caught Rei's eye and grinned. "Good night, Serenity," she said softly as she shut the door.

Suddenly she found herself in the hallway, alone with Rei. The memories of earlier came rushing back. _I almost kissed her. She was going to let me. Did it mean anything? Are we both just drunk? _As the thoughts whirled around in her head, she chanced a glance up and found the amethyst eyes watching her. Rei's eyes seemed so sad and troubled, almost haunted.

Without thinking, Minako reached up to touch her face. Rei stood frozen, inches from her. Then she backed up. "I don't- I can't-" she stammered, "I'm sorry." She rushed past her and disappeared into her bedroom, leaving Minako alone in the hallway.


	7. Recovery and Revelation

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

-Minako-

-1 The next morning Minako woke reluctantly. Slowly she became aware that she had a pounding head ache. _I guess we overdid it a bit_, she thought silently as she stumbled out of bed. She didn't bother changing out of her pajamas, her favorite yellow shorts and tank top which she didn't remember putting on, as she shuffled toward the common room.

The others were already there, minus the princess, and they all looked thoroughly miserable. Makoto was choking down some toast. Ami had her head resting on one hand and was nursing a water. Rei was the only one who looked up as she approached but she looked like she hadn't slept. She was pale and had dark circles under her eyes.

Minako realized that Rei was staring at her intently. She suddenly had the very un-Venusian wish that she'd put on more clothes before coming out. She sat down and the Martian seemed to come to herself, the hot blush showing up starkly against her pale skin as she turned away. Minako sighed as she poured herself some juice. Sorting out what was going on with Rei would have to wait until her head didn't feel ready to crack in two.

They heard the door, but no one turned. Minako poured some juice for the princess. _If all of us feel this bad, I can't imagine how she's doing_, she thought sympathetically. The sympathy vanished, however, as Serenity came bounding in.

She smiled brightly and made a bee-line for her chair, immediately piling her plate with food. "Last night was so much fun, you guys! Thanks so much for going with me! I punched that guy last night, did you see?"

They winced collectively at her cheerful tone. "Aren't you feeling hung over?" Ami demanded weakly.

"Hung over?" Serenity looked at her blankly. "Are you alright?" She looked around, suddenly noticing their subdued expressions. "You all look terrible…"

"How the hell do you not have a hang-over?" Makoto growled. "You got more drunk than all of us."

Serenity tilted her head as she considered the question, then shrugged merrily. "Just lucky, I guess."

"Good morning," a loud voice made them all wince again as Luna strode into the room, looking smug. "When you're finished eating, report to the training grounds. We can't have you slacking off just because you over-indulged yourselves last night." Minako wanted to throw something at her; she was clearly enjoying tormenting them. It seemed her fellow guards agreed as they sent dark looks her way.

"I hope you all learned a lesson last night?" Artemis said as his gaze flicked between them. There was no answer so he continued, "I'm sorry to inform you that, while the queen seems to have her own motives and isn't upset with you, We are still not happy about your little escapade. We'll see you after breakfast." On that vaguely threatening note, he and Luna left.

"Great," Makoto mumbled, "I have a bad feeling about this…"

-Rei-

Several days later found Rei striding alone down to the training grounds. She surveyed the empty field and breathed a sigh of relief. She'd been studiously avoiding Minako since the princess's birthday. It hadn't been easy, since the blond clearly wanted to talk to her. _I don't have anything to say_, she thought darkly. _I was just drunk and my defenses were down_.

She picked out a training dummy and advanced on it, drawing her short sword and knife as she went. She attacked the straw dummy, trying to drown all thoughts from her head. _I'm a Martian warrior, doesn't she understand that? _She hacked at the dummy, ignoring the bits of straw flying everywhere. _Hard and cold and deadly, like a sword_. She swung across and cleanly decapitated the dummy.

"Working out some aggression?"

She spun around to identify the source of the voice, panting and sweating. "What do you want?" she demanded gruffly.

Minako looked at the ground, then met her gaze. "Need someone to spar against? We're not going to have any dummies left if you keep this up."

Rei looked guiltily over her shoulder at the headless straw figure. Minako was watching her closely so she shrugged. "Sure."

They made their way to the sparring ring in silence. Minako smirked as she set her scimitar down in the grass and picked up a wooden one from the rack. Rei glared at it and sighed, pulling her sword and knife and putting them down at her feet. She'd never gotten used to the irritating wooden replacements. _But I suppose I understand why we should have them_, she mused, _since we really don't want a repeat of our first day_.

They squared off and began circling. Minako lunged first and Rei deflected her. She pressed her back to the center with a series of short hacks. She saw the blonde's left hand twitch, as though she were imagining flicking her chain. At the movement, she lunged forward, catching the Venusian with her shoulder and knocking her to the ground. She moved to finish the attack and felt her feet get kicked out from under her. Minako moved to pin her, straddling the surprised Martian and bringing her scimitar down. Rei blocked and they were stuck in limbo for a moment.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Minako demanded, breaking her concentration. With a growl, Rei shoved the other girl back then rolled and reversed their positions.

"What's there to talk about?" she growled as the blades clacked together and trembled as they tried to force each other to drop their guard. She stared down at the blond beneath her and couldn't help but look into her eyes. The cerulean glare lost it's edge as she stared back.

"I…" Minako seemed unable to speak. Their faces were mere inches apart and Rei found herself flashing back to the other night. _No, I'm a warrior and this is just a tactic to weaken me_, she told herself firmly. Yet she couldn't seem to move.

"We're not interrupting anything are we?" a jolly voice ripped through her thoughts.

She turned to see Makoto, Ami and Serenity headed toward them. At the same moment she relaxed her grip on her sword and was instantly rewarded by a painful smack to the face.

"Sorry!" Minako dropped her sword in shock. "I didn't mean to, it's just that you let go and I wasn't expecting it."

"I'm fine," Rei snarled thickly, feeling her nose tenderly. She sat back resting her weight on her knees as she tried to stop the flow of blood.

"No you're not," Minako said firmly, propping herself up with one hand. She reached up to wipe the blood away and suddenly Rei realized that she was still straddling the blond. She tried to scramble to her feet but only succeeded in slipping on the grass and falling against her friend.

"Actually, I think we might be, Makoto," Ami giggled as she walked up to them holding out a rag. Rei scrambled to her feet and snatched it, holding it to her face and trying to hide her blush.

"Why is it you two are always making each other bleed?" Makoto asked with a laugh.

"I'm fine!" Rei growled, her voice slightly muffled by the rag.

Minako giggled too, further aggravating the Martian. "I didn't mean to, you're the one who made us break our concentration," she accused, giving the Jovian a playful shove.

"Let me see," Serenity said softly, facing Rei.

"It's fine, really," Rei said almost desperately. She hated being coddled and they always insisted on it for every little scrape.

Serenity tilted her head, giving the Martian an exasperated look and Rei complied. She dropped her hand to her side and allowed the princess to examine her. "Well," she said after a minute, "at least it's not broken this time."

Rei couldn't help but grumble at that. If it was broken, it would have been the third time Minako had done it. She gave them a hard-done-by look, making them all laugh. Then something caught her eye behind them. A shadow advancing toward them, one that didn't fit with the others around it.

"Honestly, Minako, you're going to end up messing up her pretty face," the princess joked with them.

Rei frowned at the thing. She couldn't identify it, it didn't look substantial enough to qualify as anything living, but one fact hit solidly in her brain. _It's coming toward the Princess_.

Without thinking she pushed past them and grabbed her sword from the grass. She braced herself and a moment later it seemed to separate from the ground and formed into a solid black creature. It had thickly muscled shoulders and overly large hands that were balled into fists. It swung one at her and she parried, scoring a deep cut that sprayed her with acrid smelling black blood. It lunged for her again. She deflected one arm with her sword but realized a second too late that she didn't have her knife. It swiped at her bare shoulder, causing a searing pain to shoot down her arm.

"Mars, get down!"

She couldn't distinguish the speaker but moved to obey. As she started to drop, the thing caught the front of her shirt. It seemed to burn her flesh wherever it touched and she cried out as it lifted her off her feet and it's other hand grabbed her throat. The world started to grow hazy as the intense pain fogged her brain. Something impacted her from the side. She hit the ground with the twin jarring effects of the hard earth and the body on top of her. Distant voices sounded and something exploded above her. Then everything went dark.

-Minako-

Minako couldn't help but laugh at how worked up Rei got when anyone tried to help her. She squirmed out of Serenity's grip and backed up smiling uncertainly. At the Princess's comment Minako looked away with a guilty grin. The second time had been an accident when they were grappling and Minako had elbowed her in the face. The first time, well…that had been a long time ago.

Suddenly Rei rushed past her. Minako saw the shocked expressions of her comrades and turned in time to see Rei rushing toward… something. Something huge and black that had come out of nowhere. She stood in shock, watching the Martian fighting with no knife and no armor. She was frozen in horror, watching the scene but Ami stepped next to her, raising her rifle thing to her shoulder.

"Mars, get down!" Ami shouted, trying to get a clear shot at the monster.

Minako saw Rei try to obey but the thing caught her and picked her up. She heard Rei give a strangled cry of pain and it broke the spell. She didn't even bother grabbing her sword, Minako just ran toward them. She hit Rei with a flying tackle, wrenching her out of the creature's grasp. They both hit the ground with a jarring thud.

"Down!" Ami yelled again.

Minako used her body to shield as much of her friend as she could. There was a crack like thunder above her and a moment later she was deluged in foul smelling black blood. She looked down fearfully. "Rei?" She laid her ear against the other girl's chest and heard the heartbeat. She let out a sigh of relief as she got to her feet and turned toward her comrades. "She's ok, just knocked… out… wow."

She stared at the black splatter that was all that remained of the creature. She raised her gaze to Ami, who looked shocked. "How did you…?"

Ami still had her invention handing limply in one hand. "Well, I wasn't sure what we were dealing with or how powerful it's armor might be and there wasn't time to analyze it so I just put my rifle up to full power." She was staring at the puddle of black that had been the monster.

"It's a good thing we decided to practice ranged fighting today," Makoto said in awe.

Minako took one last look at the splatter and returned to Rei's side. Serenity knelt at the other side, looking worried. "Is she ok?" she asked in a choked voice.

Minako pulled back the torn piece of her shirt and examined the wound. There was a perfect imprint of a fist against her collarbone and fingers around her throat. Both marks looked like they had been burned into her. Rei stirred, slowly she opened her eyes then grimaced in pain.

"What happened?" she asked through clenched teeth. Her eyes darted between the two blondes leaning over her. "Where's that… thing?"

"Ami blew it up," Serenity said simply. Minako smiled a little at that as they helped Rei sit up.

"What is going on here?" an angry voice demanded. They turned to see Luna running toward them with Artemis close on her heels. Her eyes narrowed as they fell on the sword next to Rei. "How many times have we told you not to use live blades in practice?" Luna lectured.

"What did you do to her this time?" Artemis looked accusingly at Minako.

"Me?" Minako was shocked and hurt that they thought she could do something like this. _But then_, said a nagging voice in her head, _it wouldn't be the first time you hurt her_. "I didn't do this!" she shouted louder than she meant to. "There was a thing… a monster!" She gestured toward the puddle Ami was examining.

Luna's eyes widened as she looked over. "A monster?"

Serenity nodded wide eyed. "It was big and black with big hands! Rei saw it first and fought with it then Ami blew it up!"

"Blew it up?" Artemis repeated faintly.

Ami reddened slightly as all eyes turned to her. She hugged her rifle protectively to her chest. "It might have killed her! I didn't have time to figure out the exact power level needed to kill it so I guess I went a little overboard…" She nodded toward the splatter that was slowly seeping into the ground.

Luna examined the black goo and jumped back in alarm. "Get her to the infirmary," she pointed to Rei.

"I don't need-" Rei began but was cut off.

"Now!" Luna's tone left no room for argument. She turned to Artemis. "We need to speak to the Queen."

-Setsuna-

The queen sighed and looked out the window, staring at nothing. "It's started already, I had hoped they'd have more time."

"This could be an isolated incident," Setsuna tried to sound reassuring, but knew she failed when the Queen turned and met her gaze.

"A shadow will creep over the land. Slowly at first but it will be like nothing ever witnessed. It will bathe the land in darkness and at it's head a familiar face-"

"I know the prophesy as well as you," Setsuna snapped, then immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry," she said reaching for the queen and hugging her tightly.

The Queen returned the embrace for a moment then turned to Luna. "Did you see it? Did you see anything?"

"No, your Majesty," Luna answered tiredly. "They completely destroyed it. All that was left was a black puddle." she sounded sick at the memory.

"They'll protect her, your Majesty," Artemis soothed. "They already do, and I can't imagine anything that would change that."

Setsuna looked away sharply, a gesture everyone in the room wanted to pretend they didn't see.

"I know they care about her," the Queen said sadly, "I just hope it will be enough."

-Rei-

Rei awoke in a dim but extremely familiar room. _The infirmary… again. Soon I'm going to have a reserved bed in here_, she thought ruefully. She sat up slowly, reaching up to feel the bandages on her throat and chest. _At least my nose isn't broken_, she thought with a smile. She tried to picture the creature and what had happened, but the experience was oddly blurred in her mind.

She felt the warmth of a small hand in hers and looked down to see that Minako was asleep in a chair next to her. Her blond head was resting on the edge of the bed and her hand was limply gripping Rei's. Glancing around the room, she saw three more familiar figures asleep on the bench by the wall. Makoto was sitting up with her head tipped back against the wall. Serenity's head was resting on the taller girl's shoulder and she was snoring softly. Ami was curled forward, her head in Makoto's lap.

"You're awake," a sleepy voice whispered. Minako was watching her through half lidded eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"A little strange," Rei admitted. "Everything's kind of blurry. What happened to the monster?"

"Ami blew it up," Minako mumbled. She scooted closer to the bed and rested her head on Rei's forearm, hugging it to her neck.

"Minako-"

"Shh," the blond whispered, "Go back to sleep…"

Her breathing deepened and Rei had no choice but to lay back, giving up on her captive arm for the moment. _'go back to sleep'_ Why did that sound so familiar? Something in the way she said it nagged at a memory buried deep within her mind. A hazy image of a blond leaning over her floated through her mind, but disappeared as sleep began to overtake her. _'go back to sleep.'_ Eventually she did, but her dreams were haunted by fire and death and a face she should know. _Blond hair, blue eyes and love. Someone who loved her so much… _She didn't remember the dream in the morning.


	8. Visitors

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine.

A/N: Thank everyone for reading, especially those who took the time to review. I'm planning on quite a few more chapters for this story so don't worry you'll be seeing them get their powers and, more importantly, some senshi love soon!:)

-Rei-

-1 "Tonight we have some special guests coming," Luna announced over breakfast.

Rei stared down at her plate and sighed. _Special guests means a ball. A ball means a dress… _She heard a giggle and noticed her fellow guards watching her with an amused expression. She frowned. "What?"

"You just look so upset about it," Minako giggled. Her frown deepened, but that only instigated more laughter.

They had been at the Moon Kingdom for two years now. The four of them had grown extremely close, so close now that apparently none of them were afraid of laughing at the Martian warrior. She glared at her plate, trying to keep the smile off of her face.

"I just don't like going to balls…" she grumbled.

"Ahem," Luna cleared her throat loudly to get their attention. She cast a disapproving look at the young women. "as I was saying, we will be hosting some special guests. A delegation from Earth."

Rei raised her eyebrows at this news. The Earth kingdom had very little contact with the rest of the empire. Less even than Mars or Jupiter. _Why in the world were they coming here now? _Rei wondered.

"There will also be representatives from all of the other planets in the empire," she continued on as though there was nothing remarkable about this news. "Since you will be representing the Lunar court as the Princess's guards, you will be wearing your new uniforms."

Rei perked up at this news. Maybe tonight she wouldn't have to deal with a dreaded ball gown…

"Feel free to do what you want until tonight, but remember to be ready to go down to the great hall by seven." They stood and made to head to their rooms but Luna froze them with a glare and added. "I can't believe I still have to tell you this, but I expect you all to be on your best behavior."

They waited until she was gone before anyone spoke. "This is rather strange," Ami stated the obvious.

"I know," Minako agreed, "I've never met anyone from Earth."

There was muttered agreement and Ami's eyes were slightly out of focus as she stared past them. "That's just it," she said finally. "Earth has never been represented in the Counsel of Planets. They're really only part of the Empire in name. So why are they suddenly coming here?" No one had an answer.

Rei shrugged and wandered back to her room. When she entered, she found several wrapped packages on her bed. She picked up the heaviest one first and unwrapped it. Inside was plate armor: chest, back, shoulders and legs, all jet black. She traced her fingers along it, feeling how smooth the metal was. The smaller packages contained a few pairs of thick black shirts and pants. The last one held a cloak of deep crimson and a black polished clasp. The clasp depicted the symbol of Mars etched in red, but the cloak had the Lunar crescent outlined on it. She stared at it in surprise, absently rubbing her thumb over the soft material.

"Wow," a voice from her doorway made her jump. Minako was standing there holding a golden chest plate in one hand and a thick orange cloak in the other. "Yours is so dark," she commented as she sat down on the bed.

Rei eyed the cloak she was holding. "Orange," she chuckled, "It fits you."

"I like it," she said in mock indignation. Then she grinned and stood up. "Anyway, the princess is awake and she wants to go spy on the delegations as they arrive. Want to come?"

Rei sighed and stood, reluctantly leaving her new armor on the bed. "Like I have a choice?" she said with a small laugh. In truth, they rarely left Serenity's side any more. Since the attack six months before, there had been no signs of monsters within the palace walls. But there had been several reports of very brutal deaths in some of the outer villages and also a number of unexplained disappearances. They were all convinced that the Princess was going to be targeted again.

The others were waiting in the hall, looking expectant. "Well?" Makoto raised an eyebrow at Minako.

"It's black, of course," she said with a wink. "Except the cloak is a really pretty dark red."

"Hey!" Rei sputtered in indignation, "They sent you to spy on me?" She glared at the blond beside her, who didn't flinch.

"We were just curious, it's not like it's some kind of secret," she said calmly.

Makoto grinned. "Mine's pretty cool. It's bronze with this deep green cloak. Ami's is silver with a blue one," she gestured over her shoulder.

"You and I have white clothes under ours but Ami and Rei both have black. Isn't that weird?" Minako mused. Rei watched the exchange with a twinge of irritation.

"Maybe it's to make the cloaks stand out more," Ami suggested uncertainly. "I think they all have the Lunar crest on them."

"It probably looks better with the different colors-" Makoto began but Rei cut her off.

"We're going to be seeing them in a couple hours!" she snapped. "Weren't we going to escort Serenity to the landing docks?"

"And aren't you a cranky little Martian today," Minako teased. She hooked her arm through Rei's and led her toward the common room. "Her majesty is still finishing breakfast."

-Minako-

Minako followed Serenity up the grassy hill at the edge of the palace grounds. They were all crouched low and moving stealthily, except Rei who was striding stiffly in the rear, one hand resting on the hilt of her knife.

"Rei, they're going to see you," Serenity whined when she glanced over her shoulder. They had stopped at the base of the castle walls.

"If they haven't noticed Her, they're not going to notice me," she grumbled, gesturing at Minako.

The blond looked down at herself and giggled. She was wearing a yellow tank top and white skirt. "It's my favorite outfit," she hissed. "Besides, I didn't know that we were going to be sneaking over or I would have borrowed a shirt from you." She winked playfully at the Martian, who promptly flushed.

"So what's the plan, Princess?" Makoto interrupted them. They glanced at Serenity, who shrugged.

"Let's climb up here," Ami said. "The wall is wide enough and we'll have a good view without being too obvious." A transport flew over their heads.

Minako nodded and reached up to find a good hand hold in the rough stone. The wall was about twelve feet high. There was a scuffle and she looked up to find Makoto and Rei disappearing over the top. She shook her head and resumed her slow climb. In a few minutes she had hefted herself over the edge. She leaned back over and caught Ami's hand, pulling her over.

Serenity paced back and forth at the bottom. "How did you all do that so fast?" she whined.

Makoto jumped down again and twined her fingers together into a step. "Allow me, your Majesty," she said with a grin. Serenity stepped up and flattened herself against the wall.

"It's so high!" she gasped in alarm.

"You're the one who wanted to come down here," Rei chided. She laid down flat with her upper body handing over the edge. Minako got down beside her, letting her arms hang down. "Just climb up on Makoto's shoulders and we'll pull you up."

Serenity nervously raised one foot up to the Jovian's shoulder and stepped higher. She balanced precariously on that foot for a moment, then wobbled. "Oof! Serenity, my head!" Makoto cried from below them.

"Sorry!"

Rei caught one of her flailing hands deftly and Minako grabbed the other. With a supreme effort they dragged her over the edge. "I think her Majesty needs to take it easy on breakfast," Rei grunted as they got her the rest of the way over.

"Rei!" she cried indignantly to a chorus of giggles. Makoto scrambled up again and they positioned themselves flat on the wall, laying in a row on their stomachs. Automatically they maneuvered the princess between all of them.

Ami surveyed their position with a smile. "Perfect," she confirmed softly, "They'll all be going right past us down that path so we should have a pretty good view." They looked toward the port. "That's the delegation from Neptune."

They watched Princess Michiru sprint down the path with Princess Haruka close on her heels. "Hey! How come they get to- mph!" Minako clapped a hand over Serenity's mouth to cut the indignant squeal short. Princess Haruka didn't break stride, but she looked over her shoulder then grinned and waved.

"Shit! She saw us!" Makoto hissed, as all of them flattened against the stone. They waited but she didn't seem to be concerned. Another transport landed a few minutes later.

The groups from Uranus and Neptune were strolling up the path. Haruka and Michiru were chatting animatedly with their parents, but the blond held her friend back for a moment. She jerked her head toward the wall and the group held their breath. However, Michiru just giggled behind her hand and flashed them a smile. Then they linked arms and caught up to the others.

They barely had a chance to let out their collective breaths before Ami whispered, "Here comes Mercury!" They strode up the path slowly, taking in the scenery and chatting. They were all dressed in layers, as though the weather was too cold for them. Several of them wore glasses similar to Ami's.

Shortly after them came Jupiter. They all carried long staves and wore leather tunics. In the middle was a tall striking woman with a dark green cloak and a crown of leaves in her hair. "That's my mother," Makoto whispered excitedly.

Minako cringed inwardly when the delegation of Venus approached. They all wore white canvas tunics adorned with gauzy, brightly colored scarves. They were carrying a litter bearing a very handsome blond man and a breathtakingly beautiful woman, her parents.

"Wow," Makoto mumbled, "I guess we know where Minako gets her looks…"

"And her fashion sense," Serenity giggled. Minako glared at her playfully.

She heard Rei grumble something and turned back to the path. The next group wore all black leather and were bristling with weapons. A heavily muscled man with raven hair and a thick beard was in the lead, a crimson cloak thrown over one shoulder and his other arm resting on his sword hilt. A servant scurried up to them, gesturing emphatically, but was shooed away with some threatening growls.

"I bet the servants are trying to take their weapons," Serenity whispered as she looked around Minako to Rei.

"That's not going to happen," Rei answered, following their progress with their eyes. "He's a lot more stubborn than me."

Minako couldn't help but snort in disbelief. Rei narrowed her eyes at her but didn't get a chance to comment.

"Ooh, is that them?" Serenity squealed, pointing at another transport that had landed. They all followed her finger to see the final group walking down the path towards them.

This must be the delegation of Earth, Minako thought as she studied them. There were five men with cloaks pinned at the shoulders of their armor. In their midst, was a red haired woman in an elaborate gown. Rei gasped and Minako turned to her.

"What's wrong? She hissed in alarm. Rei had covered her face with her hands and seemed to be in pain. Minako hesitantly laid a hand on her shoulder. "Rei?"

"That woman…" her voice was a strained whisper between her fingers. Minako looked back at the red haired woman, but didn't notice anything unusual. That is, until she paused and turned her head, staring right at their hiding spot.

There was assorted gasps as they ducked as low as they could against the stone. Watching between her fingers, Minako saw one of the men turn and touch the woman's sleeve with a questioning look. She simply shook him off and continued walking.

"We have to get back to the castle!" Ami yelped in alarm. Makoto vaulted easily to the ground. "Jump, Serenity, I'll catch you." The princess didn't hesitate as she got to her knees and launched herself off the wall. Ami followed suit.

Minako turned to scramble down, but realized that Rei hadn't moved. She was still lying flat with her hands over her face. "Rei," Minako shook her shoulder, then tugged on her arm. Slowly the Martian lifted her head and her face was deathly pale. "What's wrong?"

Rei shook her head as if trying to clear it. Her gaze focused on Minako and the amethyst eyes were wide with fear. It was alarming to see the expression on the stoic Martian. "I… I don't know what happened," she said hoarsely.

"Come on, we have to go," Minako tugged her arm again and she seemed to come to herself. They climbed down quickly and the five of them ran back to the palace.

-Rei-

Rei carefully clasped her new cloak over her shoulder and carefully smoothed it into place. She was sitting on the bed and staring into the fire, thinking of earlier. _That was so strange_, she thought. She closed her eyes and the feelings returned, though not as vivid as before when she'd stared at the mysterious woman. _Blood, death, pain… The moon kingdom in flames and her comrades dying… Her princess dead…_

She shook her head, trying to force the images out. "Ready to go?" Minako was standing in the open doorway. She looked resplendent in her golden armor, like a goddess. Rei couldn't help but stare. Minako tilted her head curiously. "How are you feeling?"

She sat down beside her, staring at her in concern. "You still look sick…" She raised a hand to Rei's face and she flinched back without thinking. Minako pulled her hand back quickly, looking away.

"Sorry," Rei mumbled. Minako shrugged. "I'm… I'll be ok," she finished lamely.

Minako stood up, still not looking at her. "So, are you ready to go?" Rei nodded and followed, kicking herself mentally. _This is getting ridiculous_, she silently berated herself. _She's just worried and I'm reading too much into it. She probably think's I've lost my mind…_

The others were waiting in the hall. Ami was fiddling with a catch on her silver thigh plate, her bright blue cloak trailing to the floor as she leaned over. Makoto was straightening the engraved clasp at her shoulder, shooting covert looks in the mirror and smiling to herself. Minako moved to stand beside Ami, still not meeting her eye.

The Princess's door opened. They looked up and were promptly rendered speechless. She looked stunning. Her long blond hair was caught up in an elegant knot on top of her head and she wore a glittering tiara. She wore a floor-length white gown trimmed with gold, that left her shoulders bare. Rei knew her mouth was hanging open but couldn't help it.

She giggled nervously. "Do I look ok?" They nodded dumbly and she raised her eyebrows.

"You look amazing, Princess," Makoto choked out finally. Her cheeks colored at the formal reference but she didn't say anything. She was looking over her guards with a small smile.

"Do you like the new uniforms?" They all nodded. "I'm glad," she giggled, breaking the spell. "I designed them!"

"You know us perfectly, Serenity," Ami said with a rare grin.

Minako stepped forward and bowed low, winking. "Your Majesty, please allow us to escort you to the main hall, where your adoring public awaits." She offered an arm and Serenity took it with another giggle.

Makoto grinned and linked her arm with the Princess's free one. "Indeed, your Highness, it would be our esteemed pleasure."

Shaking her head, Ami fell into step behind them next to Rei. She could feel the shorter girl watching her quizzically and sighed. "What's up?" she whispered.

"You still look like you're not feeling good," Ami stated quietly. Rei shrugged irritably. "What happened, anyway?"

Rei glared ahead for a while then finally sighed. "I don't know. I was watching everyone, then when the people from Earth showed up I suddenly got this really bad head ache and-"

"And what?" Ami prompted when she broke off.

She dropped her voice lower and Ami had to lean closer to hear it. "It was like I was seeing things. But not really seeing them, more like feeling it. Things happening… I don't know, that probably doesn't make any sense…"

Ami frowned. "It does actually. It sounds like some sort of premonition." She looked up at her with her head cocked a little. "I know I've read about the Martian seers… Do you know if any of them are related to you?"

Rei stared at her blankly. _Martian seers? _She'd never heard of any such thing. She said as much and it was Ami's turn for a blank stare.

"You've never heard of them? That's funny, you're from there." Ami scratched her head, clearly thinking hard.

"I've heard of them!" Serenity chimed in. Rei hadn't realized the others had been listening. She ducked her head, trying not to meet the accusing cerulean gaze of a certain Venusian. "They're the reason all of you are here, didn't anyone tell you that?"

Suddenly she had their rapt attention. She looked at all of them with a slight frown. "I can't remember exactly what it was, but the seers of Mars made a prophesy that in three years something would happen to threaten the empire. That's why they brought all of you here, I think they thought I was in danger somehow…"

"You had a premonition?" Minako demanded, her eyes flashing. "What about? Why didn't you tell us?"

Rei looked guiltily at the floor. "I'm not sure what it was, just a flash of something. I'm not a seer, I've never even heard of them. I might even have fallen asleep," she smiled, but only received a glare.

"So what was it that you saw?" Makoto asked, looking more confused than angry.

"I-"

"There you are!" Artemis appeared around the corner. "You all look great! Are you ready?" Without waiting for a response, he continued. "Everyone's already in, they're just about to announce the delegation from Earth."

He led them the remaining distance to the hall. Rei caught their questioning looks and she tried to convey without words that they would talk later. They stood just outside the entrance, listening to the voice of the courtier.

"Presenting Endymion, Prince of Earth. Accompanied by Generals Jedite, Nephrite, Zoicite and Kunzite and Counselor Beryl." There was polite applause.

Rei waited, her hand tense on the hilt of her knife. "The queen of Earth didn't come…" Ami muttered. She was frowning at the open doorway.

"What-"

She was shushed by Artemis, just as they were announced. "Presenting Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Heir to Queen Serenity, High Queen of the Silver Empire. She is escorted by the Lunar Royal Guard." There was more applause, punctuated by a few murmurs.

Serenity started forward and they flanked her, two to a side. When they emerged, Rei scanned the crowd looking for the mutterers. Her eyes fell on the delegation of Earth, all of whom were watching them and barely clapping. Her eyes met those of the red haired woman and a searing pain shot through her head. _Not now… _She closed her eyes and immediately felt Minako's steadying hand on her arm.

They reached the foot of the stairs and she let Minako lead her toward where the Queen and Lady Pluto were standing with Haruka and Michiru. The Queen stepped forward and began her speech but Rei couldn't focus on her voice. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning. _The palace was burning. Shadows, hundreds of shadows pouring over the walls and smashing down the doors. Screams and the smell of burning flesh…_

"Rei!" Hands grabbed her, shaking her. "Rei!"

She opened her eyes and realized she was staring into Minako's concerned face. She was leaning back against a table, and Minako had her by the shoulders. She could see the cloaked backs of Ami and Makoto, facing away and shielding them from view.

"Rei what happened?" Minako looked terrified.

"I don't know," she whispered. Her throat felt raw as though she had actually been trying to breath through clouds of acrid smoke. She was shaking and was fairly sure that if the table wasn't there, she would have fallen over. "What did I do?"

"You stopped on the stairs and closed your eyes, like something was hurting. You leaned on me until you got over here then you stared shaking and whimpering…"

Rei cringed at the thought of acting so weak in front of all these people. _In front of the people of Mars…_

"It happened again, didn't it," Minako said quietly. Rei forced herself to focus on the concerned blue eyes in front of her. Minako touched her cheek, wiping away a tear Rei hadn't realized was there. Before Rei could move away, she had wrapped her arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. Rei stiffened, but in the back of her mind she heard the screams again. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist, pulling her tightly against her. She laid her cheek on Minako's shoulder, feeling the cool metal against her flushed skin and buried her face in the silky blond hair.

The room erupted in applause. The Queen must have finished her speech. Rei pulled back reluctantly, giving Minako a shy smile. The blond ran a hand down the side of her face before backing away.

"Rei, are you alright?" Serenity asked, sidling back toward them. Rei nodded and straightened. "Come on, let's get you something to drink," she insisted, grabbing her hand and heading toward the refreshment table. The others followed along, trying to look like nothing was wrong. Rei knew though: something was going to happen tonight. Something that would lead them all to destruction.


	9. The Ball

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Hello everyone, hope you'e all enjoying the story so far. Just to clear up any confusion, chapters one through seven cover the first two years the senshi are on the Moon. The bulk of the story (and there will be quite a few more chapters) will focus on their last year together before the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. No worries, there will still be lots of Rei/Minako and Ami/Makoto loving!

-Minako-

Minako leaned casually by the refreshment table, sipping on a glass of punch. She watched as various couples waltzed by, idly tapping her foot in time with the music. Serenity was dancing with one of the commanders of the Lunar army, laughing as he twirled her with ease. Rei was scowling in the general direction of the crowd. Her knuckles were white on the glass she was holding.

Minako forced her gaze away from the raven and back onto the dance floor. She caught sight of Princesses Haruka and Michiru doing an elaborate waltz. They both wore white armor, like the Lunar army, which made their teal and yellow cloaks stand out. She smiled to herself as Haruka managed to expertly twirl the other girl while shooting Minako a flirtatious smirk.

The song ended and a frazzled looking Ami came up to join them. "I just can't keep up with her!" She indicated Makoto, who was grinning and making a bee line for the Princess and her fair haired suitor. "I don't know where she gets the energy!" she gasped as she accepted the glass a servant offered her.

"I didn't know you liked dancing," Minako commented with a chuckle.

Ami blushed scarlet, taking a huge gulp of her punch and promptly choking on it. Minako laughed as she thumped the flustered girl on the back. "I- I don't mind dancing sometimes," she managed.

"With the right partner, right?" Minako teased, causing her blue haired friend to blush deeper. Ami glared at her and turned to watch as Makoto stole Serenity for the next song, the blond man watching them sadly before wandering away.

"Why aren't you dancing, by the way?" Ami eyed her critically. Minako shrugged, but her eyes drifted to Rei's stiff form of their own accord. Ami laughed. "So I guess you're just waiting for the right partner too?"

Minako blushed and looked away sharply. She took a drink of her punch to cover her reaction. "I just don't feel like dancing," she mumbled.

"That's too bad, are you sure I couldn't tempt you for just one song?"

Her eyes focused on a tall man with ice blue eyes and moonbeam pale hair. She recognized him as one of the generals of Earth. He bowed deeply, then introduced himself. "My name is Zoicite, General of the eastern division of the Army of Earth."

"Minako," she squeaked out, flustered. Pulling herself together, she straightened and added, "Princess of Venus and Five hundred seventy ninth Goddess of Love."

He smiled and bowed again. "Then, my lady, would you do me the honor of a dance?"

"I- I guess so," she chanced a glance at Rei, who was glaring daggers at the stranger. _So what_, she thought, _it's not like she was going to ask me anyway. She's made it clear she doesn't have any interest in me that way_. Her mind cast back to that morning and the way that Rei had flinched away from her.

She held her hand out to him and smiled. "Certainly, it would be my pleasure." She allowed him to sweep her onto the dance floor.

-Rei-

Rei stared in shock as Minako walked onto the dance floor with the stranger. There was a loud crack and the tinkling of broken glass. She looked down and realized she'd shattered her punch cup. Growling softly, she pulled a couple shards of glass from her palm and stared at the blood slowly beading on her hand.

With a sigh, she pulled an old cloth from her pocket and wrapped it around her hand.

"Here, let me help." Ami had moved closer and helped her tie it on. "You know, I was just thinking I should take that glass away from you," she joked. Rei looked at her to snarl a reply but realized the Mercurian wasn't smiling, only watching her carefully. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Rei growled. Ami raised an eyebrow at her. "Thank you," she added.

Ami stared down at the piece of cloth she'd just finished tying on. "Where did you get that?" she asked curiously.

"I don't remember," she answered quickly, dropping her injured hand and averting her gaze. That wasn't true, she remembered perfectly. _Minako tore it from her shirt the night of our camping trip, right after we came here. She bandaged the bite on my arm with it. That was the first time we actually got along…_

Ami gave her a disbelieving look. "You just happened to have a bright yellow strip of cloth in your pocket?"

"Yes," Rei answered defiantly. Actually she always had it with her. That and a small white handkerchief that Serenity had given her their first night in the palace. She carried both of them like talismans wherever she went.

Ami smiled, her gaze returning to the dance floor. Rei resumed her glaring at the platinum haired stranger. There was something about the people from Earth, some sort of bad vibe, that made her dislike them all on sight. She didn't trust them or their motives for being in the Moon Kingdom, particularly the red haired woman who had triggered her strange vision.

"Why don't you just ask her to dance?"

"Huh?" Rei looked at Ami blankly.

"Minako," Ami said patiently. "Why don't you ask her to dance instead of sitting here being jealous."

Rei glared at the shorter girl, hating her face for the blush she could feel spreading across her cheeks. "I'm not jealous!" she sputtered. Ami merely raised an eyebrow at her. She looked back at the slowly swaying couple. "I'm not," she repeated quietly.

"For what it's worth, I think she'd rather be dancing with you," Ami said softly, laying a hand on her arm. Rei looked back at the blue haired girl, who smiled. "Go on," she said pushing her gently toward the dance floor.

Straightening, she strode onto the dance floor, keeping her eyes focused on Minako's back. She tapped the Earthling on the shoulder. "Do you mind?" she asked gruffly.

His ice blue eyes narrowed and they glared at each other before he forced a smile and inclined his head. "Of course," he said stiffly, letting go and backing away.

Rei glared until he disappeared into the crowd and turned back to Minako. "So," she looked at her feet, suddenly feeling awkward, "do you, you know, want to dance?" She looked up, meeting the beautiful blue eyes. "With me?"

Minako smiled widely and took her hand. "Of course." She put her hand on Rei's shoulder, allowing her to lead. Rei placed her hand carefully on the smaller girl's hip and started moving slowly.

-Ami-

Ami watched with a small smile as Rei marched up to the General and ferociously ordered him away. _Poor Rei_, she thought, _I really don't think she means to be so blunt about things_. She shook her head, still smiling.

"What's so funny?" Makoto asked. She and Serenity had returned and the Princess was gulping punch, looking flushed but happy. Ami gestured to where Rei was doing her best to lead Minako around the dance floor. She was frowning in concentration, clearly trying to remember all the steps.

Makoto followed her gaze and grinned. "It's about time," she chuckled.

"I'll say," Serenity agreed, watching them. "Speaking of which, what about you two?" she asked innocently.

Ami suddenly found the glass in her hand very interesting. _I really hope she doesn't say what I think she's going to_, Ami thought desperately. _However, sometimes the Princess has about as much tact as Rei._

"Why don't you two dance? I need a break," she said casually as she refilled her punch. _And sometimes she can be amazingly subtle_!

"Are you sure you'll be ok?" Makoto asked her. Ami watched covertly as the Princess nodded and grinned. "Ready to go back out?" Makoto asked, holding out her hand.

"Sure." They got to the floor just as a lively song ended and a slow one began. She put her hand on the taller girl's shoulder, moving closer. They swayed for a while and Ami sighed, wrapping both arms around her neck and leaning her head against the smooth bronze armor on her shoulder.

She felt Makoto's other hand slide down to the small of her back, holding her lightly. She lost herself in the music and warm arms around her. "Ami?"

"Hmm?" She looked up into the emerald eyes, noticing that Makoto's cheeks were slightly pink.

"I…" It was rare to see the Jovian flustered or at a loss for words, and Ami found herself watching her quizzically. "Do you…?" She looked away, blushing darker.

Suddenly Ami understood. She leaned up with a boldness she never knew she possessed, and captured the brunette's lips with her own. Makoto's eyes widened in shock then closed as the kiss deepened. Finally they pulled back, both slightly gasping for breath.

"I know," Ami smiled, answering the question she knew the taller girl had been trying to form a moment ago. "Me too."

-Serenity-

Serenity watched her guards dancing with a soft smile. Minako had snuggled closer to an extremely nervous looking Rei. She hesitantly ran her hand through the blond hair, hugging the smaller girl to her. Serenity's gaze shifted to Ami and Makoto and widened in shock. They were kissing passionately in the middle of the dance floor. _Well_, she thought with a grin, _it Is about time._

"Excuse me Princess?"

She turned back to find an tall and extremely handsome man approach her apprehensively.

He bowed low and gave her a hesitant smile, his dark cornflower eyes meeting hers. "My name is Endymion. Would you like to dance?"

She gaped at him, taking in the chiseled delicate features, dark hair and broad shoulders. "I… certainly." She offered her hand and he took it with a breathtaking smile. He swept her onto the dance floor, expertly twirling her.

"How are you enjoying the ball?" he asked as they waltzed across the dance floor.

"I love it," she said with a smile. "What do you think of the Moon? Is this your first time here?" He nodded and smiled, holding her closer.

They continued to talk as song after song played. She lost track of time and soon found that they had moved out of the hall onto one of the balconies. Finally she stepped back, leaning on the railing to catch her breath. He moved to stand next to her and they simply stared across the grounds.

"Princess," he began.

She giggled and cut him off. "You can call me Serenity," she said, leaning closer to him. She turned to look at him and found that he was staring at her. She raised and eyebrow and he grinned.

"Forgive me for staring, Serenity," he said quietly, still with his dazzling smile. "I've just never met someone so unbelievably beautiful. You're nothing like what I was expecting."

She felt herself blush nervously as he continued to watch her. "What were you expecting?" she asked quietly.

He smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he leaned closer and she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. He kissed her gently, then pulled away to study her intently again. She gasped, the feel of his lips still lingering on her own. She felt like she was in a trance as she pulled his head back down for another kiss, burying one hand in his dark hair. He moved so that her back was against the railing and she closed her eyes, feeling his body pressed against hers and losing herself in the moment.

-Minako-

Minako's eyes were closed as she swayed slowly with Rei, the earlier awkwardness forgotten. Rei seemed to be having an easier time of the dancing now. It had been at least a few songs since she'd stepped on her foot. She smiled at the way Rei had been so possessive and fierce with the general. The way her hands had been balled into fists, one of them wrapped in a very familiar strip of cloth. _I can't believe she kept it all this time_, she thought. _She must have been carrying it with her tonight… _She felt a rush of affection for the gruff soldier and snuggled closer to her.

She had her arms wrapped loosely around the Martian's neck and had her chin resting on the soft crimson cloth covering her shoulder. _I could stay like this forever_, she thought, enjoying the warmth of the woman in her arms.

"Rei? Minako?"

Rei stiffened and Minako turned to look down. _She really has the worse timing_, she thought irritably.

"What?" Rei asked, sounding tense. Minako studied the black cat and realized she looked extremely worried about something.

"Luna, is everything ok?" Minako asked more politely.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Luna said with a frown. "I was just wondering if you knew where the Princess was? I haven't seen her in a while and the Queen was curious where she ran off to."

Minako dropped her arms and stared around in confusion. She didn't see the blond anywhere. She caught sight of the Queen talking quietly to Lady Pluto, both of them looking extremely serious. "Haven't seen her in how long, exactly?" she asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.

"At least a half hour," Luna answered. She sounded calm, but Minako noticed her eyes were continuously darting around the room.

"Shit," Rei breathed. "We'll find her." She turned and charged through the crowd, bumping into several couples. Minako mumbled apologies as they went, her eyes searching the crowd.

She spotted Makoto and Ami sitting together on a bench by the wall, kissing heatedly. She hesitated, not wanting to interrupt her comrades. Rei, however, tugged her along and stopped a few feet from them.

"Hey!" she snapped, displaying her usual amount of social delicacy. Minako couldn't help but smile.

Makoto looked up, clearly annoyed at the intrusion. Ami, however, seemed to catch the panicked look in the Martian's face. She stood up immediately. "Rei? What's wrong?"

"We need to find Serenity." There was a pleading note in her voice that cut straight through Minako. She remembered their earlier conversations, the ominous vision that the raven haired girl had never explained. Suddenly, she felt terrified.

The others seemed to catch the tone as well. Makoto leapt to her feet, her eyes wide. "Gods, where should we start?"

Minako surveyed the room quickly. "We'll split up and circle around the room. You two go left, we'll go right. If we haven't found her then we can search the rest of the palace." They nodded and left.

Rei turned on her heel and strode off in the opposite direction. Minako jogged a few steps to catch up with her. As they walked, Rei flicked back the curtains to each balcony and stuck her head out. This earned her a few squawks of indignation from couples looking for privacy.

Minako kept her gaze focused on the crowd. She caught sight of the delegation from Earth. The four generals were knotted together, talking quietly and the counselor was staring around in distain. Her gaze met Minako's and the cold smile she gave her almost stopped the soldier in her tracks. _Why is she looking at me like that? _She stumbled slightly and Rei turned to look at her.

"What?" she demanded, stopping suddenly. "Did you see her?"

"No, I just… nothing." She kept her eyes firmly fixed on Rei, carefully not looking at the red haired woman. She didn't want to add to Rei's panic by telling her about the hatefully cold look she had just received. "Let's keep looking."

Rei nodded once and continued along her path. "She has to be here somewhere," Rei said, sounding like she was trying to reassure herself as she continued to flick curtains.

"Of course she is," Minako agreed soothingly. "She wouldn't just leave without telling anyone, she knows better than- oof!" She smacked into Rei with a dull clank of metal on metal. Rei had stopped dead and her knuckles were white on the curtain she was gripping.

She stepped past her friend but stopped at the sight in front of her. The princess was leaning against the railing of the balcony, being passionately kissed and groped by a dark haired stranger.

"Did you find…? Oh." Makoto and Ami had met up with them and were standing frozen beside Minako.

Ami stepped forward and cleared her throat loudly. The two broke apart abruptly and Minako recognized the man as the Prince of Earth. He watched them with an unreadable expression.

Serenity let out a squeak of surprise and blushed furiously. "What are you all doing out here?"

"Looking for you, your Highness," Ami said calmly. "Your mother wanted to speak with you."

Serenity cast a fleeting look at the prince then looked back at them, grinning as she smoothed her dress. Minako tried to smile back, but her face felt like it would break.

"I should go see what she wants," she said to the prince as she leaned up to give him a quick kiss. He nodded and she scurried off, casting one more wide smile in their direction. He moved to follow her but Rei stepped in his path.

"Something I can do for you?" he said with an uncertain smile.

"What do you want with the Princess?" she demanded.

The smile slipped slightly and his eyes hardened. "You must be the guards I've heard so much about," he replied, appraising them. "I think your Princess is entitled to spend her time with whoever she'd like."

"I think you should just stay away from her," Rei snarled.

"Or you'll do what, exactly?" he asked with a mirthless chuckle.

Minako saw the Martian's hand tighten on the hilt of her knife and caught her by the arm. Makoto moved surreptitiously to Rei's other side, watching the prince with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think the Queen would be very happy about her daughter's tryst," Ami said calmly. Minako saw that, despite her tone, her hands had balled into fists.

He smirked at her and started to leave again. Rei caught him in the chest with her free hand and pushed him back. Minako could feel her shaking. "If you touch her again…"

"Jealous?" he grinned at her. Minako and Makoto caught her arms just as she lunged at him. It took all her effort to keep hold of her furious friend.

He stepped sharply back, looking alarmed for a moment. Then his mouth twisted into an angry sneer. "You had better hang onto that crazy Martian bitch," he said coldly. "We wouldn't want to have an incident that would threaten diplomatic relations, would we?"

Rei struggled harder against them. Minako was sure that she would kill the arrogant bastard if they let her go. Part of her was tempted, but she knew he was right. They couldn't risk it.

"I think it's time you left," Ami said through clenched teeth.

"Huh… Don't worry I'm sure I'll be seeing you all again." He strode past them, banging into Ami's shoulder as he went. Makoto let go of Rei as Ami took a step back. Rei wrenched her other arm out of Minako's grip and lunged forward.

The prince had already disappeared through the curtain, but she knew Rei too well to think that the crowd of people would stop her. "Rei, don't!" Makoto realized her mistake at the same moment. All three of them tackled the Martian, falling to the ground as they tried to hold her.

There were startled gasps and murmurs around them. Minako looked up and realized in horror that they had rolled past the curtain and into the main hall. She scanned the crowd from the floor and finally found the Earth prince. He was standing with the red haired counselor and whispered something to her. She looked at the four women on the floor and smiled triumphantly.

"Get up now!" Artemis had appeared on the scene. They disentangled themselves hastily and stood up. "I need to speak with you, right now!" he hissed. The music started back up and people went back to their conversations as the four guards shuffled obediently behind him. Minako kept her eyes straight ahead. She didn't want to catch the eye of anyone from Venus, in case they had seen her embarrassing display.

Artemis led them out of the hall and into a small side chamber before turning on them. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing?" he demanded. "After all this time can't you four go one night without fighting? Or at least contain yourselves until you're not in front of the most important people in the empire?"

Minako flared up in outrage. "We weren't fighting! We were-" Suddenly she stopped, realizing how much worse the truth was. "We were…" She looked down at the floor.

"Not fighting?" Luna asked incredulously. She had just joined them from the hall. "That's certainly new. What exactly were you doing then?" No one answered.

"I'll tell you what it looked like," she said after a moment. "It looked like you were brawling AGAIN, in front of an audience this time! Either you can explain what happened now or you can explain it to the Queen!"

Rei stepped forward sharply, staring at the wall. "We weren't fighting," she said stiffly. "They were trying to stop me from attacking the Prince of Earth."

Luna stared. "Attacking the Prince? Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

They turned to the door and Minako wished she could melt into the floor. The Queen, Lady Pluto and to her horror, Serenity had all stepped into the room. The Queen was watching Rei with a slight frown, waiting for a response.

"I… he…" Rei faltered under her gaze and looked at the floor, her face flaming.

"Why would you attack him?" Serenity asked in a choked voice. "he's so sweet and charming…" The Queen glanced at her quizzically.

"No, he's not!" Rei exploded, shaking with fury. Minako flinched at the Princess's expression. "The people from Earth are hiding something! He and that counselor are just using you!"

"But he's not," Serenity cried as her eyes filled. "He's wonderful and kind and…"

"How do You know?" Lady Pluto turned to her, frowning.

"We were… talking," she said quietly. Her reddening face implied otherwise and Lady Pluto seemed to understand.

Rei growled softly, almost involuntarily it seemed, and Serenity turned her teary glare toward her. "Why are you being like this, Rei?"

"You didn't hear him after you left. The only reason that bastard is still standing is because THEY held me back!" Rei snarled.

"You're supposed to be my friend!" Serenity yelled shrilly, bursting into tears. "How could you?" She ran from the room, her sobs echoing down the hallway.

Rei started after her, looking stricken, but Ami caught her arm gently and stopped her. She glared briefly but then dropped her gaze to the floor with a heavy sigh.

"Should we go after her, your Majesty?" Luna asked tentatively.

"No," the Queen was staring at the door where her daughter had fled. "not yet." Her gaze turned to the four soldiers standing stiffly in front of her. "What exactly did he say to make you think this?" she asked gently.

Rei seemed unable to speak so Minako stepped forward. "He said… he implied that the Princess… he just gave us a bad feeling," she finished lamely. _How can I possible explain the look in his eyes? Or the cold way he had smiled? Or the way he had looked at her when she walked away?_

"A bad feeling? Lady Pluto echoed.

"Rei had a vision or something today," Ami supplied. "It happened when she looked at the ambassadors of Earth. Twice. There was just something about the way he was acting after the Princess left that seemed…" she waved her hand vaguely, trying to find the right word. "Cold. Or predatory…" That was exactly what Minako had thought of his smile, like a wolf bearing it's fangs before it attacked.

Lady Pluto seemed to consider this, then her gaze shifted back to Rei. "What sort of vision, Mars?"

Rei focused firmly on her feet. "I don't know, ma'am," she said quietly.

"Try to describe it," the Queen said gently. She laid a hand on the Martian's armored shoulder. Minako saw her stiffen and knew it was taking all of her resolve not to flinch away.

"It was… just a feeling, kind of. I couldn't really see anything I just knew what was happening…" Rei seemed to struggle to form words and she was still shaking visibly. "There were shadows, and fire everywhere… everyone was dying…" She shuddered and the Queen drew back sharply, looking at Lady Pluto, whose face had gone blank.

"You know I can't," the dark haired woman said quietly.

Minako frowned, trying to make sense of the exchange. What Rei had described… _Fire and shadows and death_… She glanced at her fellow soldiers and found them all in similar atates of unease.

"We apologize for causing a scene, your Majesty," Makoto said with a low bow. "It's our duty to protect the Princess."

The Queen seemed to remember their presence. "It's alright Jupiter," she said quickly. "You can all go."

They hesitated. "Your Majesty?" Ami asked cautiously, "What about Rei's vision?"

She glanced at Pluto again then back. "Try not to worry about that right now. Your job is to protect the Princess, try to focus on that. Speaking of which," she turned to Artemis and Luna, "we should go talk to her. This…relationship… cannot be allowed to continue." She turned and strode out, followed closely by Lady Pluto with Artemis and Luna trailing after.

Minako and Ami exchanged a look. "We're just supposed to forget about it?" Ami asked in bewilderment.

Minako shook her head. "They know more than they're saying. Didn't you catch what Lady Pluto said?"

"She's the guardian of the Gates of Time," Ami said thoughtfully. "I suppose that even if she does know what's going to happen, she can't interfere."

"That makes sense," Makoto said, frowning, "but that doesn't mean we should just disregard it. How are we supposed to protect Serenity when we don't know what we're protecting her from?"

Ami was quiet, looking past them. Minako followed her gaze and saw that Rei was still standing stiffly, facing away from them toward the door. "You know we believe you Rei," Ami said softly, touching her shoulder.

She pulled away, still not looking at any of them. "I know."

Ami looked at them for help, but Makoto just shrugged. "We'll figure out what it is. And everyone is going back to their own planets in the morning, so we don't have to worry about that bastard prince."

Minako was trying to think of other comforting things to say, but she could see that Rei was still trembling and her hands were tightly balled into fists. "Rei…"

"I'm fine," she growled. "I need to be… I just… I have to go." Without turning, she strode swiftly out the door.


	10. The Morning After

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Rei-

As soon as she was out of the room, Rei began to run. She sprinted through the maze of hallways and didn't stop until she was outside. She tried to calm down, taking deep breaths of the cool night air. The night was completely black, the only light coming from the palace lanterns and the glittering stars. She had never been so thankful that the Earth wasn't out.

She stared at her shaking hands, carefully unwrapping the yellow cloth and stowing it safely in her pocket. She looked around hopelessly, unsure of what she wanted to do. Finally, making up her mind, she turned and strode out to the training grounds. She grabbed a wooden sword off the rack and squared off to a dummy. _I hate him_, she thought as she hacked viciously at the straw target. _I hate him, I'll kill him if he ever lays a hand on her again!_

She grimaced asshe remembered the look in her Princess's eyes. _Hurt and betrayed and so angry. Angry at me… And I'm supposed to be the one protecting her_. She swung harder, ignoring the bits of straw that flew back at her like tiny needles against her bare arms. _And I knew! I knew as soon as I saw them that they would ruin everything! That son of a bitch prince… and now she hates me…_

She hit the exposed post of the target, snapping both it and the wooden sword in half. With a roar of rage she flung the useless hilt as far as she could. Dropping to her knees, she pounded the broken dummy into the ground with her fists. Every hit she imagined driving her fists into his arrogant smirking face. She didn't even notice the pain in her hands as she punched the bits of wood and straw against the hard ground. It didn't compare to the intense pain inside of her.

_She hates me_. Her mind refused to stop repeating the words, to stop picturing her tear stained face. _'You're supposed to be my friend!' _She drove her fist down again. _'How could you?' It's because of him! I'll kill him! I'll kill him for making her hate me!_

"Rei?"

She stopped pounding the scraps of dummy but didn't turn around. She couldn't deal with anyone right now. _Especially not Minako_. _What will she think of me now? It's all my fault, and now the Princess hates all of us because of me. _She punched the ground again.

"Rei, please stop…"

But she couldn't. She didn't want to stop, because if she did there would be nothing to distract her mind from everything that had happened. She couldn't believe that a few short hours ago they had been joking and laughing together. She wanted to scream. She punched the mangled remains again.

Then she felt warm arms wrap around her. Minako had dropped to her knees and was hugging her tightly from behind. "Rei, talk to me, please. It's going to be ok."

"No it's not." Rei heard her voice and hated how weak it sounded. She hated her body for trembling but she couldn't stop it. She turned to face the blond and was surprised to see tears in her blue eyes. _Blue eyes so like hers, filled with tears again… because of me…_ "No it's not," she repeated in a whisper.

Then she was crying. She couldn't stop the hot shameful tears that poured silently down her face. Minako pulled her forward until her head was resting against her chest. She felt Minako stroking her hair. She couldn't stop crying, her whole body racked with sobs. Minako didn't say anything, just held her and stroked her hair over and over.

After an eternity, she felt her body begin to relax. "Mina," she whispered, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she said softly. "No one blames you for any of this, please don't apologize." Rei nodded slowly and sat back, wiping her eyes and staring miserably at the ground. "Come back inside."

She nodded again and stood up, following the smaller girl back up to the palace. Once they were inside, Minako caught her hand and she gasped involuntarily as pain shot up her arm.

Minako turned in alarm and looked down. "What- Rei, your hands…" She carefully caught them by the palms and lifted them up to the light. Her knuckles were ripped open, swollen and covered in blood. Minako sighed as she slowly let go of them, studying her friend's face. Rei couldn't meet her eyes. "There's some bandages in my room," she said finally.

While Minako got them, Rei stuck her head into the common room. Looking around, Rei allowed herself to smile. Makoto was asleep on the couch with her arm around Ami, who was curled up in front of her. Minako returned in a tank top and yellow pants. After seeing the sleeping occupants of the common room she led them to Rei's bedroom instead.

Rei took off her armor carefully then sat heavily on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor. Minako silently sat next to her and started cleaning the straw, wood and dirt from the wounds. Rei barely felt it, her whole body felt numb. She stared at nothing until Minako had finished carefully tying on the bandages. She ran a hand through Rei's hair and stood up. "You should try to sleep."

Finally, Rei looked up. Minako gave her a sad, tired smile and turned to go. "Mina?"

She turned back, watching her steadily, something unreadable in her eyes. "Yes?"

"Please stay," she whispered. As much as she hated herself for being so weak, she couldn't stand the thought of being alone. "Can you just… stay with me for a while? Please?"

She nodded and slipped under the blankets. She seemed to understand that Rei just needed someone there. She wasn't going to ask her to explain or try to make her feel better with empty words. She was just going to stay, because she had been asked to and Rei loved her for it.

She laid back and held her arms open. Rei felt the tears coming again and tried desperately to hold them back as she let herself fall into the embrace. She was still trembling, but she just couldn't care any more. She wrapped an arm around the thin waist and tucked her head under Minako's chin, resting her head on the other girl's shoulder. Minako wrapped her arms around her, pulling her closer. Finally she felt the tension ease and eventually she fell asleep.

-Minako-

Minako woke up to find that they had shifted positions during the night. She remembered how miserable Rei had been last night; she'd held her until she had cried herself to sleep. Now Rei was on her back, sleeping peacefully with one arm curled around Minako and the other resting easily on the pillow. Minako carefully lifted herself from where she had been sprawled across her friend's chest. She looked down at the sleeping girl, studying her face. It was smooth and untroubled, a nice contrast from hours before. She smoothed a lock of hair away from her face and gently kissed her on the forehead.

Rei smiled in her sleep and shifted closer to her, bringing her other arm around to hug Minako against her. She'd been about to return to her own room but there was no hope of that without waking the other girl. With a sigh, Minako laid her head back against her shoulder and decided to enjoy the closeness for a few more hours.

When she woke again it was because Rei was stirring. Minako lifted her head and saw sleepy amethyst eyes watching her. "Hey," she said thickly.

"Good morning," Rei said, still watching her intently.

"Sorry I fell asleep," Minako mumbled uneasily, "I wasn't planning on staying here all night."

"It's alright, I didn't mind." She lay back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Minako realized that Rei still had her arms around her. _She really doesn't seem to mind_, she thought happily as she buried her face against Rei's neck.

"Mina?" She said quietly after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Minako lifted her head and looked at her. She still looked sad but not so hopelessly lost as she had last night. Minako smiled at her. _She looks so beautiful_, she thought as she stared into the dark violet eyes. Slowly Rei leaned toward her, closing the distance between them. The feel of Rei's lips on hers was instantly her favorite feeling in the world. It was a soft kiss that only lasted a moment but it left her breathless. The raven haired girl pulled back and studied her, searching her eyes for something.

Minako brought her hand up to cup the side of the other girl's face gently. Rei didn't flinch, instead she leaned slightly into the touch still staring at her.

"What are you thinking?" Minako whispered.

Rei smiled then and Minako felt her tighten her grip around her slightly. "I just want to remember this."

Then Minako remembered. _Shadows and fire and death… How much time do we have left? _Tears were blurring her vision so she closed them, leaning forward to kiss her again.

This time it wasn't short and chaste, it was passionate and amazing. She reveled in the feeling of Rei's tongue in her mouth, the feeling of lean muscled arms pulling her close. Then Rei moved, pushing her back and rolling so their positions were reversed. She opened her eyes, to see the Martian staring down at her again, taking in everything. Then they were kissing again, Rei's weight pressing her down into the soft mattress. Minako twined her fingers in the thick sleek hair, and she felt Rei move her hand down shyly to rest on her side. Her palm felt hot through the thin material of her pajama top.

She wondered vaguely how far this would go and how far she wanted it to. _How much time do we have?_ But it didn't matter if it was in a day, a year or a lifetime because she knew who she wanted to be with. _Do I love her? Yes. I don't know when it happened or how, but I do. With all my heart. Does she love me? Yes, I think so. She looks at me like I'm the most important thing in the world. _

Rei slowly pulled away from her, and Minako opened her eyes to find herself being studied again. Rei reached up and ran a bandaged hand along her jaw, tracing the thin scar that ran down her cheek.

"I gave you that…"

Minako nodded slowly as she traced her own fingers along the scar that ran across the edge of her eyebrow to right next to the gorgeous amethyst eye. "I gave you this," she said softly back.

Then she smiled. "Mina I…I love you."

Time didn't matter. Hearing the soft sincere words made her feel so complete that it didn't matter at all. "I love you, too, my Reiko." She gave her a gentle teasing smile then pulled her down for another kiss.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, startling them both.

"Rei, are you awake?" It was Makoto. Before either of them could move, the door was opening. "Minako's not in her room and- oh."

Rather than jump away, as was her usual style, Rei just dropped her forehead to Minako's shoulder. She could feel the heat radiating off her hidden face and couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, Makoto, she's awake."

"Sorry to interrupt," Makoto said with a giggle as she backed out. Through the closed door they heard, "Ami, I found her!" and more laughter.

Rei groaned. "That girl has the worst timing." She lifted herself up again and grinned despite her flaming face. She leaned to give Minako one last kiss before rolling off of her and sitting up. "Since they already know we're awake…" she grumbled as she slid out of bed.

Minako lay still, closing her eyes and enjoying the lingering feel of their kisses. She smiled to herself, then heard a chuckle. She opened her eyes and saw Rei watching her with a small half smile. She giggled and sat up, blushing slightly when Rei raised an eyebrow at her.

She stood and wrapped her arms around the raven haired girl's neck, hugging her tightly. Rei pulled her closer and they simply stood for a moment, clinging to each other.

Minako's stomach grumbled loudly and she laughed. "Must be time for breakfast."

-Ami-

Ami was lounging on the couch waiting for Makoto to wake the others up. She had a book open in her lap, but wasn't really seeing the page. Her mind was running over the events of the previous night. _The Prince clearly has ulterior motives, but what are they? What could he stand to gain from seducing the Moon Princess?_ Along this line of thinking she remembered something that had been nagging at her the night before. _Why hadn't the Earth Queen been there? Why had she sent the prince and a counselor in her stead?_

She tried to remember how he had managed to steal the Princess away without anyone noticing. _We were dancing… and kissing… _Her face grew hot at the memory. _Then we decided to sit down and when we walked past the refreshment table she was there by herself. Then we were on the bench and kissing… _Unconsciously, she brought her fingers to her lips, feeling the memory of Makoto's soft lips on hers. _No, Ami, focus! _She berated herself.

She estimated it couldn't have been more than twenty minutes from that point to when Rei and Minako had found them. _Where we were sitting and making out in front of the most important people in the empire… _She shook her head sharply to clear it.

She decided to focus on the other issue of the night, Rei's strange vision. _Shadows and fire everywhere and everyone dying… The fire is fairly obvious, if everything is burning it stands to reason that she saw some sort of attack. A brutal attack, if everyone was dying…_ She shuddered_. I wonder who she saw dying… us? The princess? The queen?_

A distant knocking brought her out of her thoughts. "Minako, are you awake?" A moment later Makoto poked her head in the doorway. "She's not in her room."

Ami frowned and cocked her head. "Huh… Well, maybe she's already up. Is Rei awake?"

She scuffed her foot on the floor, looking awkward. "I didn't want to bother her. She probably had a pretty long night."

"So did the rest of us," Ami pointed out. "Besides, you know she'll be mad if we're talking about her without her being here."

"True," Makoto conceded with a crooked grin. "I'll check." She disappeared back down the hallway.

Ami returned to her musing. The shadow part was what she didn't understand. _Obviously if everything is burning, there's bound to be shadows… But that didn't seem to be what she meant_. She gave it up as a bad job and decided to wait until she could just ask the Martian.

She leaned back against the couch with a heavy sigh. _I never realized how comfortable this is… _She remembered waking up with Makoto's warm body pressed against her back. _Her arms around me… Feeling her breath on the back of my neck… Stop it! That's not what I'm supposed to be thinking about! _But she couldn't help it.

She sighed again. It was such a strange feeling. She wasn't even sure when her feelings for the Jovian had changed from friendship to… this. It didn't make sense. But then she smiled. As Makoto had pointed out last night: 'It doesn't have to make sense, it just works'. Yes, she was definitely falling for the tall strong soldier. _But what will the others think?_

She heard knocking again. "Rei, are you awake?" A pause. "Minako's not in her room and-" Then silence. Then she heard Makoto burst out laughing and Ami could hear her footsteps as she jogged toward her. "Ami, I found her," she crowed triumphantly. _What in the world?_

Makoto grinned as she rounded the corner. Then she promptly sat down by the startled Mercurian, threw her arms around her and kissed her hungrily. Ami enjoyed the feel of being ravished by her lover for a moment, then pulled away sharply, gasping. "Mako," she panted, "you- you just woke Rei up! What's she going to think if she walks in on this Again?"

Makoto grinned mischievously at her. "Rei doesn't have any room to talk," she laughed.

"Ahem." Rei stood in the doorway and crossed her arms, looking stern. "Rei doesn't have room to talk about what exactly?"

Ami flushed and returned her gaze to her book, but Makoto just grinned wider. "About extracurricular activities with fellow soldiers."

"Eep! Makoto!" Ami stared at her, looking scandalized.

"Not us," she said with a wink, "them."

Ami turned to see a sleepy and disheveled Minako strolling into the room. Then she stopped when she realized she was being talked about.

"Sleep well, Minako?" Makoto asked with a suggestive wink. Minako just grinned widely.

Ami raised her eyebrows then turned to Rei. "Rei, you're turning colors," she informed the flustered Martian with a giggle.

"I- not…" Rei sputtered, before sitting down at the table and dropping her head onto it to hide her face. This was such an uncharacteristic gesture that all of them burst out laughing.

"I should have known the day I saw them leaving the baths looking all hot and bothered!" Makoto teased between laughs.

Minako gave her a highly affronted look, which only made the Jovian laugh harder. "Makoto! That is not what happened!"

"How do you even remember that? It was nearly two years ago!" Rei snapped, finally lifting her head. She ran a hand self-consciously through her hair and Ami realized her hands were heavily bandaged.

"Rei, what happened to your hands?" she asked in concern.

"Minako, what did you do?" Makoto asked wide eyed.

"ME?" she sputtered in outrage. "I didn't do that!"

"Why is it you two are always making each other bleed?" Makoto chuckled, but Ami was not to be deterred. She gave them a questioning look.

Rei looked down at the table and Minako moved to stand behind her. She placed her hands on the Martians shoulders and grinned. "Rei murdered a training dummy last night."

Makoto laughed at that. "Again? We're not going to have any left pretty soon."

Rei reached up and placed a bandaged hand over one of Minako's and Ami had the distinct impression that she was covering.

Rei gave them a sheepish smile and added, "Also, I accidentally broke one of the practice swords."

"You did? That's fantastic!" Makoto pumped her fist in the air.

Ami had to chuckle at that, but she remembered the book in her hands and knew they had to have a serious talk before the princess woke up. She hated to kill the light mood, but it was important that they talk about it.

"So I was thinking about last night." It had the expected sobering effect. They all focused on her. "I wanted to know a little more about your vision, Rei."

Rei nodded and stared at her hands, not really seeing them. "The first time was when we were on the wall. It was that woman, the one with red hair."

"Counselor Beryl," Ami supplied and prompted her to continue.

"Right," Rei frowned, then said slowly, "I looked at her and all of a sudden my head hurt and… I started hearing things and I felt… I knew what was happening but I couldn't really see it."

She paused and sighed heavily. Behind her Minako started gently kneading her shoulders. "Everyone was dying, the palace was burning down, the princess… the princess was dead."

Ami shuddered and Makoto came to sit down beside her, wrapping a protective arm around her.

"The second time was stronger, when we were coming down the stairs. I looked at that counselor and it happened again, but this time I could see it." Rei shuddered at the memory. "There were fires all over the palace, the grounds, the courtyard… everywhere. People were screaming and I could see them dying all around me, I could even smell it. Burning… burning flesh… And shadows everywhere…"

There it was again. _Shadows_. "What do you mean, shadows?" Ami cocked her head trying to come to terms with the horrifying images.

Rei leaned back against Minako and looked over. "Remember that day on the training grounds? The day that monster attacked?" They nodded. "I saw it when it was far away. It didn't look like that until it got close, before that it was just a patch of darkness that was moving across the grass toward us."

"A shadow…" Makoto repeated softly. "And you saw more of them in the vision?"

Rei nodded, her eyes losing focus. "Hundreds of them. They looked just like that first one, just patches of darkness sliding over the walls. They only took form when they were breaking down the doors or close to someone."

Ami thought back to that day. It had happened so fast she hadn't gotten a good look at the creature. After she'd shot it, there wasn't enough left of it to analyze. They were going in completely blind.

"Hundreds?" Makoto whispered weakly. How in the world were they supposed to fight that many?

"But they can be killed, at least we know that," Minako said bracingly. "Ami do you have any idea what it was?"

"No," Ami admitted. "I've been trying to dig up information that might help us, but…" She gestured toward the stack of books next to the couch. "Even back then, I looked through every book in here trying to find out what it was."

"We could ask the Queen," Makoto said slowly.

Minako shook her head. "She told us not to worry about it, remember?"

"But it's a threat to the Princess!" Makoto said angrily, slamming her fist into her thigh. "How are we supposed to protect her when we don't know what we're fighting?" No one had an answer.

-Serenity-

Serenity lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She'd woken up a while before, but couldn't get back to sleep. She felt horrible about everything that had happened the night before. Endymion had been so sweet and yet so passionate. She wished she could have talked to him again. _He's going to think I left because of him_, she thought sadly.

Then she thought of why she had actually left. She couldn't stop seeing her guards' faces when they'd found them. They seemed so angry… _I wish they would have talked to me about it._ The whole thing had been blown out of proportion. _I know they worry about me, but I'm not a child. There must have just been some sort of misunderstanding_, she decided.

Then she thought of Rei. She had tried to attack him, she'd said. _Ok, a Big misunderstanding_. But she just couldn't believe that what they'd said was true. _Why would they think he was using me? Maybe Rei just doesn't trust him because she doesn't know him. It wouldn't be the first time she was hostile to a stranger for no reason. It took her months to just be alright around us_.

Still, she felt guilty for yelling at the Martian. _She was just trying to protect me,_ she reminded herself. _When she's awake I'll talk to her and apologize_.

Her thoughts were interrupted by laughter in the hallway. She sat up and heard someone yell and then more laughter.

_I guess they're not That bothered about last night_, she thought bitterly. _They have each other, why shouldn't I have someone too? They probably don't even realize how badly they hurt me. Or they don't care…_

She let out her breath in an angry hiss, finally sliding from beneath the sheets. _Well, if they don't care that's fine! I'm not going to sit here hiding from them!_

She stomped out the door, going over what she was going to say. Outside the common room she stopped. The door was slightly ajar and she could hear them talking. She waited, trying to catch what was being said.

"Hundreds?" Makoto sounded upset about something. _Good_, she thought. She was feeling extremely ill disposed toward the Jovian. She and Ami had been making out in front of everyone, but they were upset with her for sharing an innocent kiss? _Well, not so innocent_, she thought with a smile.

She missed what Minako said next and forced herself to focus on eavesdropping. "I've been trying to dig up information that might help us, but…" That was Ami. "Even back then, I looked through every book in here trying to find out what it was." _Information about what? Back when?_ They were hiding something from her.

"Maybe we could ask the Queen?"

"She told us not to worry about it, remember?"

"But it's a threat to the Princess! How are we supposed to protect her when we don't know what we're fighting?"

So that was it. They were still talking about protecting her from Endymion. She'd heard enough. She straightened and strode in. "Good morning," she said stiffly causing them all to jump.

She looked at them all. Ami and Makoto were sitting together on the couch. Minako was standing behind Rei with her hands on her shoulders. _It isn't fair_, she thought angrily, _that they get to have each other_.

"Good morning," Makoto offered a smile that she couldn't bring herself to return. Ami was silent, staring at a book in her lap.

"Morning," Minako said quietly. Serenity ignored her, too.

Her eyes met Rei's instead. The Martian was watching her, looking stricken. _Does she feel guilty about last night or is she upset that I caught them talking about me? _She decided that a direct approach was best. "Mars," she said coolly and the dark haired girl flinched as if she'd been slapped. "I wanted to talk to you about last night."

Rei dropped her gaze to Serenity's feet and bit her lip. She felt a grim satisfaction at her reaction. "I'm sorry about last night, your Majesty, I was out of line."

She ran a hand nervously through her raven hair and Serenity gasped. "Rei, what happened to your hands?" she cried, her anger forgotten as she rushed over and knelt beside her. She picked one up carefully and examined the blood stained bandage.

No one spoke. She looked up to see that Minako was glaring daggers at her. She let go of the Martian and stood back. Rei was still staring at the floor and looked like she might cry. She immediately felt guilty for being so harsh. "I'm sorry, Rei," she said softly. "I think last night was a long night for everyone. We should just forget about it, ok?"

She willed the dark haired girl to look at her, but Rei only nodded her head. She looked at Minako again but the Venusian's eyes were narrowed in barely contained fury. She bit her lip and turned to the other two. They were both watching her, but their expressions were unreadable. She turned sharply and left, heading back to her room. Once the door was closed and locked, she threw herself on the bed and let the tears fall.


	11. Coping

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine

-Minako-

-1 Minako watched the Princess leave with a confused jumble of feelings. She couldn't believe how much her feelings toward her had changed since just yesterday. Her sweet, caring, wonderful Princess who she would protect with her life. She had barely recognized the girl who had just stood before them, cold and intentionally cruel.

She felt Rei trembling under her hands. _How could she treat Rei like that_, she thought furiously. _Purposely hurting her when all Rei did was try to protect her from her own stupidity. Calling her Mars and blaming her for what happened. How could she? And then she had the nerve to switch back and try to act like she cared about the injuries that were Her fault to begin with?_

"Good morning," Luna said serenely as she strolled in. Minako glared at her. The cat stopped and looked around at all of them, frowning in confusion. "What's wrong with all of you?"

Minako felt her mouth drop open. Was she really asking that after everything that had happened? She had the sudden urge to pick the cat up by her scruff and throw her out the window. She tightened her grip on Rei's shoulders.

Makoto was shaking her head slightly, lips pursed and frowning. Ami, however, was looking at Luna with an expression of delight. Minako cocked her head and watched her.

"Luna, I have a question for you," Ami asked with an innocent smile.

"Certainly," Luna said vaguely, still looking confused.

"Remember about six months ago, that thing that attacked us on the training grounds?"

Luna's attention snapped to the Mercurian and suddenly Minako understood. "Yes," Luna answered cautiously.

"Did you guys ever figure out what it was?" Ami's eyes bored into her.

The cat hastily looked away. "No," she said quickly, "Now if you've all finished eating, I thought we could head down to the field to do some ranged practice."

No one moved. Minako couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No one was curious what it was?" she asked, her tone disbelieving. "Or how it got that far into the palace grounds with no one seeing it?"

"Well of course," Luna snapped, "but it's been looked into and everything has been taken care of. The Queen told you last night that you should focus on protecting the Princess."

"We are," Makoto growled. "That thing got all the way into the palace and went straight For the Princess. We need to know what we're protecting her from!"

Luna sighed. "I understand that, but you all did a fine job of taking care of her. You killed the beast, after all."

"Only because we got lucky," Minako pointed out. "Only because Ami happened to have her rifle with her. What if another one gets in?"

The cat laughed uneasily. "I'm sure that's not going to happen. We've increased the number of guards in and around the palace."

"What if it does happen?" Ami insisted. "We need to know how to fight them!"

Luna sighed in defeat and sat down. "I don't know, Mercury. I wish I could say something more helpful but right now the most important thing for all of you is to protect the Princess. That has to be your number one priority."

Minako thought back to before. Rei hadn't moved or spoken and she felt a burning anger at how the Princess had treated them. _Yesterday, if someone had asked me my first priority that would have been easy, but now?_

"That is of ultimate importance," Luna continued. "We know they can be killed and that is enough. Your sole duty is to keep the Princess from harm at all costs." _At the cost of our own lives if necessary_, Minako mentally finished.

"I know that last night's events were a strain on everyone," Luna said more gently. "We've spoken to the Princess already and she knows what is at stake, she knows that the four of you will protect her. Please be at the training grounds in one hour." With that, she left.

_They're hiding something_, Minako thought darkly. Makoto growled in frustration. "Why won't anyone tell us what's going on? I know that they know more than they're saying."

"Remember what Serenity said yesterday before the ball?" Ami asked. Minako felt Rei stiffen and absently started rubbing her shoulders again. "There was some sort of prophesy that something would threaten the empire."

"That's right," Makoto's eyes widened. "The reason they brought us here in the first place. That in three years something would threaten the Empire and the Princess."

"That was two years ago…" Ami said slowly.

_That means we only have one year left. If what Rei saw is what's going to happen, then in a year we'll all be dead… _Minako turned cold at the thought. She could tell that the exact same thought was going through everyone else's minds.

Makoto picked up one of Ami's hands and twined their fingers together. "What should we do?" she turned pleading emerald eyes on Minako.

"There's nothing we can do," Rei stated flatly. She stood up and strode out. Minako stared after her, thinking hard.

"There has to be," she whispered.

-Makoto-

Makoto lay flat on her back, massaging her right arm with her left. They'd spent hours longer than usual on the training grounds, practicing until she barely had the strength to lift her arm. The Princess hadn't come out of her room all day. It was the first time they'd ever had a training session without her and it felt like a bad omen. They'd barely spoken during dinner, all of them were too exhausted and it seemed like there was nothing else to say. They would continue to protect the Princess, and in a year they would all be dead.

There was a soft knock on her door but she didn't move. She had no energy left for pointless debate.

"Mako? Are you awake?" It was Ami.

She sat up stiffly and smiled. "Yea, come on in."

Ami stepped in shyly, closing the door softly behind her. She stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed. "I can't sleep…"

Makoto smiled and wordlessly pulled back her blankets. Then she laid back, taking the smaller girl into her arms. Ami rested her head on her less sore shoulder and sighed heavily. Makoto kissed her forehead lightly then settled back and resumed staring at the ceiling.

She felt Ami's fingers travel lightly across her stomach, tracing the lines of muscle. "I can't stand thinking any more," she said softly. "My head is so exhausted but I can't seem to turn my thoughts off." She shifted closer and kissed her neck softly.

Makoto sighed and reached to run her fingers through the short blue hair. "I know what you mean," she whispered. She let her hand trail down her neck to her back.

Ami continued the light kisses up her neck, grazing her teeth against her ear. Makoto moaned softly, rubbing her hands down the smaller girl's back and pulling her on top of her.

Ami moved so she was straddling the brunette. "I just don't want to think any more tonight," she breathed, looking down at her. The look in her azure eyes was hungry. She leaned down and kissed her, softly at first then more aggressively.

Makoto slid her hands down and under Ami's shirt, running her hands along her lean frame until she reached her small soft breasts. Ami groaned against her mouth, closing her eyes. She pulled back for a moment to pull her shirt off, then moved to kiss and suck on Makoto's neck.

"Ami," she moaned. The smaller girl was pulling her shirt up, kissing a line up her stomach as she went. _She was right_, Makoto thought as she felt the heat of bare skin on hers, _this is much better than thinking._

-Rei-

Rei sat cross legged on the floor in her room, staring into the dying embers of the fire. She didn't know what to feel. The way the Princess had looked at her, the cold disdain in her voice, stabbed her to the heart. _'Mars…' _She had never referred to any of them by their formal titles before. It hurt, but… _She's willing to throw away two years of close friendship over a man she met once in her life. She's supposed to trust us with her life_, yet she didn't even trust them enough to believe them over a stranger…

She examined her bandaged hands. Last night, she'd been devastated. Blaming herself and hating the prince. _But the Princess was the one who had snuck off with him, completely disregarding protocol. Protecting her is one thing, but if she's going to put herself in danger? She can't really care about us that much if she didn't even think of the risk to the guards who would have had to lay their lives down if something had happened. _

She looked down at the white handkerchief in her lap. She picked it up and crushed it tightly in her fist, thinking back to that first night. _She had seemed so kind and vulnerable, seemed like she cared so much even when she barely knew us. Now…_

She considered throwing it into the fire, but decided against it. She walked to her nightstand and dropped it carelessly in the drawer. Instead she picked up the faded strip of yellow cloth, taking it back with her. She sat and stared at it, running her fingers over it. _Minako_. She knew that Minako was furious at the Princess. That morning when they'd faced her, the blond had been gripping her shoulders so hard it hurt. Something the Princess had seen when she looked at Minako had made her flinch.

_So where should my loyalty lie_, she wondered as she twined the cloth between her fingers. _The woman who all of us trusted so easily, believing she felt the same? The woman who, at the first true test of that trust, betrayed me? The one who had looked at me with such disdain and loathing? The one who caused this? _She stared at the bandages again, then at the strip of cloth. _Or the woman who was always just herself, the good and bad displayed honestly? The woman who had fought beside her and put herself in harms way to protect her? The woman who loved her so freely and openly?_

_The one who had held her while she cried or the one who had caused the tears._ The choice was obvious. She held the strip of cloth to her face. She heard her door open behind her and smiled, knowing without turning around who it was. Warm arms wrapped around her shoulders and a soft kiss was placed on her cheek.

"Hey," Minako said softly, "I recognize that."

Rei leaned back into the embrace. "I was just thinking."

"I figured," the blond teased. Rei ran her hand lightly along the slim forearm. Minako kissed her cheek again and let go, catching Rei's hand carefully as she stood. She led her to the bed and climbed in, patting the spot next to her with a grin.

"What are you doing?" Rei asked cautiously, trying not to blush and failing miserably.

Minako laughed lightly and rolled her eyes. "Sleeping in here, what's it look like?"

"Um…" Rei tried to form words, but couldn't seem to find any. "Ok," she finally managed. She laid down on her back and laced her fingers together above her head. Minako immediately moved closer, laying her head in the crook of her arm and curling one arm across her stomach. Rei hesitated, then shifted so she could wrap one arm around her shoulders and covered Minako's hand with her free one.

"Is this ok?" the blond murmured sleepily, "I didn't really want to be alone tonight."

Rei understood perfectly and was comforted by hearing her thoughts echoed out loud. "Of course," she answered quietly.

Minako pushed herself up so that her blond hair fell across Rei's chest. The cerulean eyes stared down at her for a moment before she leaned in for a long thorough kiss. After a few moments she pulled away and just looked into her eyes. "I love you so much, Reiko," she said softly.

Rei smiled at the nickname and reached up to push a strand of blond behind her ear. "I love you too, Mina."

Minako gave her one more gentle kiss before settling back against her chest. She rested one delicate hand by Rei's collarbone and sighed contentedly. "It'll feel better in the morning, love," she whispered.

Rei wrapped her arms around the other girl, resting her cheek lightly against the top of her head. "I know." _It has to…_

-Ami-

Ami woke up in a cocoon of warmth. Makoto was sound asleep, her face only inches from her own. A small smile lingered on her lips and Ami kissed them softly. She studied her lover's face as she ran her hand lightly along her side, thinking of the pleasures the firm body offered.

"Mmm, morning," she mumbled as she opened sleepy emerald eyes. She rested her forehead against Ami's. "I haven't slept that well in ages," she added with a grin, "we should do this more often."

"Absolutely," Ami agreed, loving the feel of Makoto's naked body against hers. _I wish we could stay this way forever_, she thought sadly. Against all her power to stop it, Rei's words played over in her head. _Fires and screaming, shadows and the smell of burning flesh…One more year…_

"Ami," Makoto's gentle voice broke through her dark thoughts. She looked at her lover and realized that her vision was blurring. Makoto reached up to wipe away a stray tear. "Please don't cry, baby."

The plaintive whisper broke her. She took a shaky breath, but the hot tears came anyway. Makoto pulled her close and she let them fall as she buried her face against her chest.

She felt the Jovian shudder and pulled back to realize the other girl was crying too. They clung to each other then, as though somehow the contact could force the pain away.

Finally, the tears were spent. Ami leaned up to kiss away the salty tears, then moved to her mouth. Makoto returned the kiss passionately.

Eventually, they pulled back both gasping for breath. Makoto chuckled weakly. "If we don't get up now, we're not going to for hours…"

"Hmm, would that be so bad?" Ami teased, enjoying the flush that crept up the other girl's face.

"Temptress," Makoto grinned at her. "You're the best distraction I could ask for." She pushed Ami gently onto her back and moved to lean over her, placing a kiss on her throat. Ami clung to her back as she continued her ministrations on her neck.

"You're pretty distracting yourself," Ami gasped. "I don't think I could possibly notice anything else right now…"

_Distraction_… Something was nagging at her brain. _Temptress… I wouldn't notice anything else_… Suddenly it clicked.

"Oh, my god!"

"I haven't even started yet, baby," Makoto murmured as she trailed a kiss down her collarbone.

"I- I just realized…" She faltered as her lover's tongue teased the sensitive skin at the base of her throat. "I- Mako, sweetie…" She reluctantly pulled the brunette back up to face her.

Makoto tilted her head in confusion when she caught sight of the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Ami beamed at her, feeling euphoric. "Nothing! I know what we have to do!" Makoto gave her a blank stare. She squirmed out from under her and practically leapt out of bed. "We need to wake up Minako and Rei!"

She reached the door, but stopped as Makoto burst out laughing. She turned and realized the taller girl was looking her up and down, smiling in appreciation.

She let out a startled "Eep!" when she remembered that she was still naked. Blushing furiously she hunted down her clothes and hastily dressed. Once they were both decent, they went in search of their fellow guards. Finally, they had a plan.


	12. The Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Thanks to all who've been reading, especially those who reviewed. I appreciate any and all feedback. :)

-Minako-

"Rei! Minako!" The door burst open. Minako's eyes flew open and she pushed herself up on her hands. In the same instant Rei sat bolt upright, or at least tried to before her head collided painfully with Minako's shoulder, knocking her back down.

"Ow…" Minako grabbed her shoulder and rolled onto her back.

"Damn it," Rei growled, sitting up more slowly and rubbing her forehead, "What the hell, guys!"

"You really need to stop doing that," Minako said weakly. She sat up and scooted back so she could lean against the headrest. She pulled the disgruntled Martian to her and kissed her forehead. "You ok?"

"I'm fine," Rei grumbled, laying her head against her shoulder and tilting her face toward the intruders. "Now what the hell is so important that you have to burst in here Again?"

Makoto sat on the edge of the bed and cocked her head. "I'm not sure, but I think I inspired her somehow," she said with a crooked grin. Minako noticed a prominent bruise on the Jovian's neck.

"I bet," Rei snorted, obviously spotting it too.

Ami didn't seem phased by the less than warm greeting. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet and grinning. "Ok I give up," Minako said finally, "what's going on?"

"I thought of a plan!" she said triumphantly.

"While you two were…I'm not sure I want to know," she teased. Rei chuckled beside her.

"Yes- eep! I mean no! Not about… that," Ami stuttered, looking scandalized but a little pleased. "I know what we should do about what we discussed yesterday."

Rei straightened and Minako leaned forward slightly, suddenly alert. Ami closed the door carefully before joining them on the bed. "We need to know more about this threat. Since no one seems to want to tell us anything, we need to find out ourselves."

Minako sighed heavily. "How are we supposed to do that? No one here is going to tell us anything more than they think we need to know."

"You're right," Ami agreed, "there's nothing we can do here. We need to go to the source."

Minako stared at her in confused silence. _The source? The source was Rei_. She gave the raven haired girl a sideways look.

"No," Ami clarified, "not Rei. Counselor Beryl."

"Ami," Makoto said slowly, "Counselor Beryl isn't here, she's on Earth."

"You want us to go to Earth?" Minako cried, "The Queen would never let us do that! Besides, we can't leave the Princess right after we were directly ordered not to."

Ami stared at each of them intently. "No, we couldn't leave her here. And we couldn't just waltz into the Earth kingdom and start poking around." She paused as though choosing her next words carefully. "We would need a distraction."

"A distraction?" Minako repeated faintly. _She's lost her mind_, she thought in awe.

"You want to use the Princess as our excuse to be there so we can get information." Rei stated. Minako looked at her, but her face had gone completely blank.

"That's crazy!" Makoto choked out. "The Queen would kill us herself if anything happened."

Minako considered it. _It's not like she would be on her own_, she reasoned. _All of us would be there and we already know that she's not any safer here. It might even heal the rift somewhat if she thought her soldiers were back on her side. _That thought caused a twinge of guilt. Were they still on her side? _We still have a job to do_, she reminded herself firmly. There weren't a lot of options and every day was bringing them closer to the end. _It's worth a shot._

Minako realized that they were all looking at her expectantly. Slowly she nodded. "I think it's worth a try," she said hesitantly.

Makoto bit her lip and nodded. "Alright. So now we just need to convince the Princess." Their eyes met and Minako knew they were thinking the same thing. _Should we tell her the truth or not?_

"She'll never go for it if she thinks we still don't trust him," Rei pointed out quietly. A heavy silence fell over them.

Finally Minako said what they knew was the only way. "Then I guess she can't know." Ami nodded and stood and the others followed her out. They went to the door at the end of the hall and Minako knocked hesitantly. "Princess? It's Minako."

A moment later, Serenity opened her door warily. "Is everything ok?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes," Minako said and forced herself to smile. "We just wanted to talk."

Serenity nodded and came out into the hall. She looked at each of them and her eyes fell on Rei. Her blue eyes welled up with tears and she threw herself at the Martian. "Rei, I'm so sorry I was mean to you! I was just upset, can you ever forgive me?" she wailed.

Minako scowled at her back as she threw her arms around the raven haired soldier. Rei stiffened and her amethyst eyes met Minako's over the Princess's shoulder. They were full of pain and confusion and anger. She patted the small blond on the back with one bandaged hand and muttered, "Of course Serenity, it was just a misunderstanding."

She stepped back, releasing the guard with a teary smile. "I've missed all of you," she said tremulously. Rei moved to stand beside Minako and caught her hand, twining their fingers together.

"Actually, Serenity, we wanted to talk to you about that," Minako said carefully. Serenity looked at her, eyes sparkling in excitement. She tightened her grip on Rei's hand and continued. "You know the vision Rei had?" Serenity cocked her head, her expression darkening.

"Well," Ami said quickly, "we figured out that the one who sparked it was the red haired woman, Counselor Beryl. We think she might be working against the Kingdom of Earth in some way."

Serenity gasped. "Should we tell my mother?"

"That's up to you, Serenity," Minako said smoothly. "We thought it might be a good idea to go to Earth for a few days and see if we could find out anything about her."

"By ourselves?" Serenity squeaked. They nodded and she paused to consider. "So you don't think Endymion is part of it?" she added, trying to sound casual and failing.

Here was the tricky part. Minako glanced to Ami for help. "Counselor Beryl is the one we want to find out more about. She's the one who triggered the vision."

It was perfectly done. _Not a lie, just not the complete truth_. Minako watched the Princess process the information. Then she grinned. "How should we get there? I don't think we need to tell Mother just yet, it can wait until we find something out. Can we visit Endymion? I know you'll all like him once you get to know him!"

Minako had to stifle a cry as Rei's hand tightened painfully on her own. She glanced at the other guard and saw a muscle working in her jaw as she fought to keep her face impassive.

"Great, I'm glad we got to talk Serenity," Minako said with forced cheer. "I'm starving are you guys ready for breakfast?"

"I'm glad too, Minako," Serenity grinned as she hugged her tightly. Then she giggled. "I'm definitely ready to eat!" She skipped down the hall. Ami caught Minako's eye before she and Makoto followed.

Once they were gone, she turned to Rei. "My fingers are going numb," she teased gently.

"Sorry," she mumbled, loosening the death grip and sighing heavily. Her eyes were still full of pain. Minako knew there were no words that would comfort her so instead she simply pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

-Rei-

Rei pulled on her gauntlets and flexed her scarred hands. The thick leather was a comfort as she thought about the day ahead. It had been three weeks since they had first proposed their plan to the Princess. She'd written to the Prince of Earth, requesting to meet him away from the court. Yesterday, she'd received the reply that he would love to see her, giving instructions of where they could meet.

She stood slowly, forcing herself to focus on her appearance in the mirror above the mantle in her room. Now was not the time to get angry. Ami had booked them passage on a transport that was leaving in a few hours. They couldn't risk being recognized, so they had opted to leave anything that would identify them as agents of the Moon Kingdom.

She studied herself thoughtfully. She'd already gotten so used to the black plate armor of her uniform that her chain mail looked out of place. _Good_, she thought, as she ran a hand through her hair. She pulled her knife out, fingering it as she deliberated. Then with a deep breath, she reached up and started cutting her waist length hair to just above her shoulders. She left the three long beaded braids that hung beside her face. Martian tradition was to wear a braid for each person in your heart. She had recently added the third. _My mother, my brother, Minako _she thought as she fingered them lovingly. _I can't cut those…_

There was a gasp from the doorway. "Rei, your hair!" Minako moved to face her, eyes wide in shock. She reached up to trail her fingers through it.

"How do I look?" she asked, suddenly feeling apprehensive. "It's so long now it gets in the way, so I thought…" she trailed off with a shrug.

Minako smiled as she ran the braids between her fingers, then tucked them behind Rei's ear. "I'm glad you kept these," she said finally, giving her a soft kiss. Then Minako stepped back, giving her an appraising look. "And you look good, I barely recognize you."

Rei looked Minako over too. The edges of her studded leather jerkin stuck out slightly from the sleeves of her soft yellow shirt. She had on dark brown pants and a gray traveling cloak. Her lustrous blond hair was tied back and hung down her back in a long ponytail. Rei ran a hand along her side, but didn't feel her plate armor under her clothes. "Are you sure that'll be enough protection?"

"It's stronger than it looks," she said with a grin. She had her scimitar sheathed at her hip and her gold chain was coiled inconspicuously on the other side. She picked up Rei's belt from the bed and leaned close to pass it behind her and buckle it in place. She kissed her again with a teasing smile. "You look good."

Rei sheathed her knife and sword, then grabbed her plain black cloak. She threw it around her shoulders as she followed Minako to the common room. The others were already waiting. Makoto wore her braided leather armor and a hooded gray cloak. She had two short javelins in her belt and stood resting an elbow on her serrated staff. She flashed them a crooked grin and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Ami was carefully stowing her computer into her pack. She wore a dark blue cloak and black clothes, but Rei was fairly sure that she had her alloy armor on underneath it. She had a navy scarf tied on her head, hiding all but a few wisps of her choppy blue hair. Her long knives hung at her hips and her rifle was strapped across her back over the cloak.

"Rei, your hair!" Serenity cried in alarm. She rushed forward and Rei forced herself to stand perfectly still as the Princess touched it. She was wearing blue pants, a white shirt and a blue cloak, all of which were painfully familiar. She even had the same blue scarf she'd worn in her hair the night of her birthday.

Ami looked up at the exclamation and gave her an appraising look. "I think it looks good," she said as she studied her. "Short hair is a lot easier to manage."

"But it was so pretty!" Serenity exclaimed, still standing uncomfortably close. Minako scowled at the Princess's back but didn't comment.

Makoto chuckled and caught the blonde's arm, maneuvering her away from Rei slightly. "It still is," she said casually. "Are we ready to go?"

Everyone looked at Minako. She raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "As much as we'll ever be, I suppose," she said uncertainly. "How much time do we have?" she asked Ami.

"The transport leaves from the public station in two hours." She paused to consider. "We should go now since we have to get to the other side of the village."

"Alright then," Minako said. "Everyone have weapons? Armor? Money?" She counted the list off on her fingers, then bit her lip. She looked at Rei, who nodded once. "Ok then, let's go."

The walk across the palace grounds was nerve wracking. Rei expected to be stopped at every turn and every guard they passed made her tense up. There were so many things that could go wrong with this plan. By the time they reached the main gates, Rei was feeling sick with worry but the guards didn't challenge them. After all, there was no reason that they couldn't visit the village in the middle of the day.

The transport was crowded when they entered it. People from every corner of the Empire seemed to be traveling today. Ami had said that they were lucky, since transports only traveled to Earth once every rotation or two. She growled softly, pressing closer to Minako so as not to lose her in the crowd. They couldn't find five seats together, so Ami, Makoto and Serenity sat together on a bench and Rei and Minako had to sit a few rows behind them.

Once they were settled in, Rei tried to relax. It would take them a full day to reach Earth and once there, another day to travel from the port to the royal city. She sighed heavily. _Then what? _The Prince wanted to meet up with Serenity at an inn near the palace of Earth. She hadn't mentioned to him that she was bringing her guards, and Rei suspected he would be less than pleased to see them.

Ami had suggested they rent rooms at a different inn. She and Makoto were going to shadow the Princess, keeping an eye on her safety and seeing if they could pick up any information. Minako and Rei were going to scout around the city, looking for any sign of a looming threat.

"Relax, love," Minako whispered, threading their fingers together and laying her head on Rei's shoulder. "Everything will be fine." Rei nodded and looked out the window, watching as the palace shrank slowly from view.

-Makoto-

Two days later, they arrived in the city surrounding the Earth palace. Makoto looked around with interest, taking in the layout of the bustling city. She had been in awe years ago when she'd come to the Moon. It was so different from Jupiter with the busy markets and crowds, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined. The city stretched as far as she could see in every direction, and everywhere she looked there were people moving in a frenzied panic, as though trying to get everything done as quickly as possible.

"I can't get a signal," Ami muttered, tapping at her computer and frowning.

"What do you mean?" Makoto tore her eyes away from the vast crowds to look over her shoulder.

"I don't know why, we're not far enough to be out of range." Ami sighed heavily, touching the screen with a stylus so a new image appeared. "That means we're completely cut off from the Moon. I'm glad I downloaded the maps before we got here."

"That's good," Minako said from her other side. She was staring around, wide eyed. "So how do we get to the inn?"

"This way," Ami gestured vaguely and started walking. Makoto fell into step beside her, using her staff as a walking stick as they trudged through the streets. _It's dirtier than I expected_, she mused as she eyed the decrepit buildings and filthy streets. It looked like quite a few of them had fire damage. _There's a lot of poverty here. A lot of beggars and injured people in the streets… and a lot of soldiers… _She had noticed that the farther in they came, the more weapons people seemed to have. Most of them looked like thugs and mercenaries, and quite a few were warriors from other planets.

"It's so exotic!" Serenity squealed, causing several people around her to glance up. She was looking around excitedly and drawing quite a bit of attention to herself.

"Serenity," Makoto began but the Princess talked over her.

"There's so many people, I didn't realize how crowded it would be," she continued. "And the buildings are so different from home!"

"Serenity…" Minako warned quietly from behind them.

"I just can't wait to see-"

"Princess," Rei growled, catching her arm, "We need to try not to draw attention to ourselves. If these people realize who you are it could be dangerous."

Serenity's eyes widened in fear. Clearly that hadn't occurred to her. She closed her mouth with a snap and moved closer to Makoto. "Do you think it's dangerous here?" She asked, grabbing the Jovian's arm.

"Could be," Makoto mumbled. She kept her eyes on the people they were passing, watching for any possible threats.

"Here we go," Ami said finally. They had stopped in front of a tall weathered building that looked like it would collapse in a strong breeze.

"This is where we're staying?" Serenity squeaked, giving Ami an alarmed look. "Endymion said it was really nice and close to the palace." She sounded close to tears.

"I know, this isn't the one he suggested but it's not far from there," Ami said as she eyed the building apprehensively. "I thought it would be better to have a base away from the meeting place."

"Good idea," Minako agreed. _That way if the prince has any ideas he won't know where we're staying_, Makoto thought darkly.

"This isn't quite how it was described when I read about it though," Ami added sadly.

"It'll do," Rei growled, crossing her arms and scowling at the inn. "Is there a bath close by?"

"Yes," Ami checked her map quickly. "There's one right around the corner from here." Rei nodded and pushed the door open.

Makoto followed after and looked around. _This isn't so bad, _she thought_, considering… _The floors were covered in relatively clean straw and the patrons in the tap room seemed only mildly threatening. It was nothing like the luxuries of the Moon, of course. Makoto strongly suspected that she and Rei would be the only ones comfortable there.

Minako stared around in distaste and Makoto could tell it was taking a lot for her not to comment. Ami walked hesitantly to the bar. "We need a couple of rooms," she said in a small voice.

The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at her, looking disdainful. "We only got one open right now," he said as he spat on the floor.

Ami grimaced and nodded. "I, um… only one?"

"Lot of people in town for the muster," he said gruffly, eyeing them with sudden interest. "That why you're here?"

Ami looked back at them uncertainly. Rei stepped forward instead and fixed him with a fiery glare. "We'll take it. How much?"

"What's your currency?" He looked her up and down. "Martian?"

Rei's eyes narrowed dangerously and she dropped her hand to the hilt of her sword.. "What makes you think that?" she demanded. "We've got standard, just like everyone else on this stinking planet."

Minako shot a significant look at Makoto and the two edged closer to their short-tempered friend. It wouldn't help their cause if Rei strangled a local.

The innkeep backed up hastily, hands held defensively in front of him. "No harm meant," he said quickly. He turned and grabbed a key from a row of hooks behind him. "Three silvers a night. Easy now, I didn't mean no harm." He extended the key toward her shakily.

Ami reached into her pack quickly and counted out nine silver coins, setting them on the bar. His eyes lit up at the sight and he bowed deeply. "Number four, straight upstairs and to the right. If you need anything just let me know."

Rei snatched the key and turned on her heel, the others following in a straggling line behind her. Once they were all inside with the door closed and locked, Makoto burst out laughing.

Minako raised her eyebrows in alarm, clearly thinking she'd cracked under the strain. Ami, however, caught Makoto's eye and giggled cutely behind her hand.

"What's so funny?" Rei snapped, glaring as she set her travel pack down.

"I just never realized how much I appreciate your people skills," Makoto managed between laughs.

Minako let out a snort of laughter, too. Rei snapped her glare to the Venusian, causing her to laugh harder. "She's always had a way with tact."

"Well it certainly came in handy this time," Ami said weakly, wiping her eyes. "I'm sure we won't have any problems with the innkeeper while we're here."

"Glad you're all so cheerful," Rei grumbled, rolling her eyes. "I need a bath."

"Definitely, me too," Minako agreed, giving the Martian a peck on the cheek. "You said it's close right?" she directed the question at Ami, who was folding her cloak and stowing it with her rifle and pack.

"Yup," Ami nodded and grinned, "Then we can get down to business.

-Queen Serenity-

The Queen looked up as the door to the reception room opened. Haruka and Michiru walked in talking quietly. "Anything?" she asked them when they stopped in front of her.

Haruka bowed low and offered a tentative smile. "They don't seem to be anywhere in the palace, your Majesty."

"We checked their rooms," Michiru added. "Their armor and most of their things are still there, but their weapons are gone."

She sighed heavily, looking at Setsuna for reassurance. "I'm sure they're fine, your Majesty," She said bracingly. "This isn't the first time they've snuck out, after all."

The Queen nodded thoughtfully. "I should have explained the current situation better," she said heavily.

"No, you were right before," Setsuna said as she moved to place a hand on the monarch's shoulder. "Their priority has to be the Princess."

The door opened again and Luna and Artemis approached cautiously. "Your Majesty," Luna began, "We interviewed the guards."

"And?"

"Well," Luna sighed, "Apparently, one of the soldiers at the main gates saw all of them headed to town yesterday, but his shift ended before they had returned. No one else saw anything."

"You don't think they're out drinking and getting into trouble again, do you?" Artemis growled.

The Queen moved to look out the window, where the Earth was just rising on the horizon. She cocked her head, staring at it. "No, I think they've gone to look for answers."

"Your Majesty?" Artemis queried, looking confused.

"Mars mentioned a vision she had before the ball." She said softly, still staring out the window.

Setsuna moved to stand beside her. She followed the Queen's gaze and gasped. "They wouldn't!" She turned to the dark haired woman with a sad smile. Setsuna groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes. "Yes, they would…"

The Queen turned to the soldiers in the room with her. "Artemis, I would like you to take Haruka and Michiru with you to Earth."

"To Earth, your Majesty?" he echoed. "Why?"

"I need you to go bring them back. They don't realize the danger they're in."


	13. Earth Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

-Ami-

Ami paced the room, trying to gather her thoughts while they waited for the Princess. Their suite consisted of a main room with two couches and a smaller side room with a single bed. They had given the private room to the Princess, in deference to her status, and she hadn't come out yet. _How long does it take to decide what to wear when you only have two outfits_, Ami thought irritably as she glanced at the closed door.

Minako and Rei had left a few minutes before to try to dig up information, leaving her and Makoto to keep track of the Princess. Makoto was sprawled on the couch with her hands behind her head and completely at ease. She stopped in front of the taller girl with her hands on her hips.

Makoto sighed and sat up, "Would you relax? We're just checking the place out tonight. He's not meeting us until tomorrow."

"How can I relax?" Ami demanded, cringing inwardly at how shrill her voice sounded. "I mean…" She sighed heavily.

Makoto grinned and caught her hand, pulling her down onto the couch. She sat stiffly next to the Jovian, determined not to be swayed. Makoto just chuckled and leaned over, kissing her neck.

"We're not supposed to be relaxing," Ami said with a giggle as her resolve melted. She let Makoto push her back against the arm of the couch, twining her fingers in the thick curly hair. Makoto gave her a wink and leaned against her, her kisses moving up the smaller girl's jaw to her mouth. Ami moaned softly as she enjoyed the feeling of their tongues dancing over each other.

"Ahem." They sprang apart, blushing guiltily. It wasn't the Princess, however, just Minako grinning widely at them. "Aren't you two supposed to be doing something?"

"We were- I mean we are… what are you doing back?" Ami squeaked.

"I forgot my cloak," Rei said from behind the grinning Venusian. "And aren't you supposed to be doing something Else?"

"I'm ready," the Princess said in a singsong voice as she flung her door open. She was wearing a low cut sky blue top and a darker blue skirt that was a bit too short for Ami's liking. "I thought you two left already," she eyed Rei and Minako who were giving her identical, open-mouthed stares.

"Rei forgot her cloak," Ami supplied when she realized the Martian wasn't going to speak. Flushing darkly, the raven haired girl strode to her pile and extracted it.

"Won't you be cold, Serenity?" Makoto asked in a strained voice. Ami turned to see her staring transfixed at her bare legs and tall boots. She elbowed her sharply. "Oof! Erm, so should we go?" Makoto pointed out. She dropped her gaze to the floor with a shamefaced grin.

"Yea, we should too," Minako caught Rei's elbow and led her firmly away. "See you guys later," she called over her shoulder.

"Right," Ami eyed the Princess as she pulled her cloak over her shoulders. _It really doesn't cover much_, Ami thought ruefully, _but I suppose that's a good thing. She's supposed to be the distraction, after all._

Their destination was another inn, this one much nicer. The plan was to scout it out tonight then meet the Prince there tomorrow. Ami glanced around outside. It was fairly well kept, by Earth standards. There were a few trees shading a small courtyard at the entrance and a well swept path leading to the door.

Serenity skipped past her to the door, but it opened just as she went to push it. She fell forward with a shrill yell, knocking into whoever had been leaving. _So much for a quiet entrance_, Ami thought, rolling her eyes as she and Makoto rushed forward.

"I'm so sorry, Miss," a deep voice said. She got to the entrance as a dark haired man was helping the disheveled princess to her feet.

"No, that was my fault, I…" Serenity stopped mid-babble and stared at the man. _Shit_, Ami thought as she recognized the uniform. "But you're…"

"Please, Miss," he said smoothly. "Allow us to buy you and your friends a round of drinks, as an apology."

"Thank you!" Serenity giggled. She took the man's proffered arm and allowed him to lead her inside.

"Shit," Makoto growled under her breath. "Do you realize-"

"Shh!" Ami hissed, "I know." Makoto nodded and they hurried after the Princess.

The dark haired General was holding out a chair for her at his table. His friend was watching them as they hovered uncertainly behind her. With a small smile, he stood and inclined his head politely. "Please join us. My name is Nephrite, general of the southern division of the army of Earth. This is Kunzite," he indicated his friend, who bowed, "general of the western division."

Kunzite signaled a waitress then looked back at them. "It's a pleasure. I don't believe we were properly introduced before." The waitress returned with a round of shots, which he passed around with a smile.

"I'm Serenity," she said as she picked up her drink and examined it. "This is Makoto and Ami. Is Endymion with you?" She looked around hopefully.

"No, Princess," Nephrite answered. "I'm afraid that he'll be in meetings all evening. If I'm not prying, what brings her Highness to our humble city?"

Ami spoke before the Princess could. "Her Majesty has business here which we're not at liberty to discuss at this time. Thank you for the drink," she added, setting it down without drinking it. She smiled stiffly and walked toward the bar, taking a seat within hearing distance. Then she ordered a water and waited.

"I hope I didn't offend your friend," Nephrite said softly.

"She's not much of a drinker," Makoto covered smoothly.

"I see. Well, shall we toast? To continued goodwill between the Earth and the Moon, and of course to the health of the Princess." Ami heard the clink of glasses and settled down for a long night.

-Rei-

Rei surveyed the tavern, trying to keep her face impassive as she walked through and found a table by the wall. Minako was at the bar, getting drinks. The plan was to go to some of the less respectable places and see if they picked up anything. She shifted her cloak slightly so it fell forward, hiding her sword from view.

She looked over to the bar and saw that Minako was walking slowly toward her, making a show of not spilling the drinks. Rei knew she was really trying to listen to conversations without being obvious. When she finally sat down on the opposite end of the table, she leaned over to slide one drink across to Rei.

"That big group over there are all here for 'the muster' whatever that is," she whispered. She leaned back and took an appreciative sip of her drink, staring around in apparent boredom.

_That's the second time that's been mentioned_, Rei thought. _The innkeeper thought we were here for the muster, too_. She took a big gulp of the ale, trying not to grimace at the bitter taste.

"To the Queen!" someone yelled at the bar. Everyone in the room raised their glasses. Rei exchanged a look with Minako and they hastily followed suit. "And the greatest army the Empire has ever seen!"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, as everyone drank to the cheer. _That's interesting… _She felt a foot nudge her leg and looked at Minako. She raised her eyebrows and drained her glass. Taking the hint, Rei chugged the rest of hers and stood up.

Rei scanned the crowd and her eyes fell on two Martian mercenaries drinking in a corner. "Just a second," she whispered as she strode purposefully toward them. She kept a hand on her sword hilt as she swaggered up to their table. She kept her expression neutral as she stood stiffly beside them.

"What do you want," the taller one growled in greeting. His eyes were a pale lilac, almost gray and his black hair was spiked up in the front. He and his friends both moved their arms and Rei knew they were grasping their sword hilts under the table.

"My friend and I are looking for a place with stronger drinks," she jerked her head to indicate Minako, who was standing uncertainly by the door.

The shorter one turned in his seat to look at the blond and chuckled. He looked up at her with eyes that were almost black. He had grey streaking his raven hair and mustache. "Where'd you get that?"

"Venus," she said brusquely. "So what would you suggest?"

She watched them exchange looks, then the taller one stood to face her. He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her hand resting easily on her sword hilt. "Stronger than here? You must have had a hell of a day."

"What of it?" She said with a shrug.

He watched her for a moment longer, then clapped a beefy hand on her shoulder and chuckled. "Try the Trick Pony, take a right out of here and it's two roads down. You can't miss it." She nodded once and turned on her heel, catching Minako's elbow and leading her out.

"Have you lost your mind?" Minako exploded quietly. "I thought those men were going to kill you where you stood! Why would you try to pick a fight when we're supposed to be keeping a low profile?"

She linked arms with the irate blonde and started walking down the street the men had suggested. "I wasn't picking a fight, we were just talking."

"Talking?" Minako echoed faintly. "When he stood up, I thought he was going to throttle you!"

"Minako," she stopped walking and turned her friend to face her, "Honestly, you've known me for more than two years and you still don't know anything about Martian culture, do you."

"I know that Martians don't have a lot of tact," she said with a smirk.

"I have tact," she grumbled. "Besides they were mercenaries, you could tell from their rings. I thought they would probably know of a better bar for eavesdropping." Minako gave her a blank look so she clarified. "Since everyone's talking about a muster and the army, we want to be somewhere where there's going to be a lot of warriors."

Minako shook her head in awe. "Alright then, I'm glad I'm on your side." They continued walking, then Rei heard her snickering and gave her a sideways look. "Sorry," Minako said quietly, "It's just, all this time I've thought you were just blunt and tactless. And it turns out that I just don't speak Martian."

Rei shook her head at the logic of this statement. "Funny, I always thought you were the one with bad social skills." With a laugh, Minako slung an arm across her shoulders as they continued to the next bar.

Sure enough, two roads down was a tavern with a large sign bearing an image of a rearing horse. There were several groups standing around the front, all armed. _This looks promising_, Rei thought as a pair of Jovian warriors walked in in front of them.

Inside it was crowded and it didn't look like there were any free tables. Rei shoved her way to the bar and ordered two shots. _I've had enough of Earth ale to last a lifetime_, she thought darkly. When they arrived, she handed one to Minako but before she could drink hers someone jogged her arm and sloshed half of it over her hand.

"Watch it," Rei growled, automatically. She turned toward whoever had bumped her and couldn't help but stare. The bright blue eyes, narrowed in her direction, were alarmingly familiar. The girl had short choppy blond hair and wore light colored studded leather armor, a white tunic and laced sandals. _I guess All the women from Venus are stunning._

"You watch it," she snapped, "It's not my fault you ran into me."

_Apparently looks aren't the only thing they have in common_, she thought sourly. "I didn't run into you," she said through clenched teeth, "You ran into ME."

Minako appeared at her shoulder and spoke before the other girl could reply. "I'm sorry for my friend's rudeness." she said smoothly. "Could we buy you another drink, to make up for it?"

_MY rudeness? She's the one who bumped into me and spilled MY drink_! "If you think-" Rei started, but Minako cut her off with a warning look and a kick to her ankle. She grunted in pain and gave the blondes a withering look.

The stranger rolled her eyes at her then turned toward Minako. "Your friend? My condolences," she said with a haughty sniff. "But, please, allow me to buy you both a drink instead. I don't think that one got to drink all of hers." She jerked her head toward the incensed Martian then signaled the bartender.

Rei drank her shot, throwing the blond a bitter look which was pointedly ignored. "So are you here for the muster?" she asked Minako.

"We wanted to see how things were coming along," Minako answered vaguely.

"A waste of effort if you ask me," the Venusian warrior said disdainfully. "With those monstrous things the Queen is summoning, they're not going to be needing any more soldiers." Rei's ears perked up at this.

"Things?" Minako echoed, raising an eyebrow.

The other blond huffed and drained her shot, promptly ordering another round. "I really couldn't say what the creatures are or where they come from," she said with a dismissive wave. "The point is that all the rumors that they're offering gold for service in the Earth armies are greatly exaggerated. I'm leaving on the next transport home."

Minako sighed heavily. "Well that's a wasted trip," she said in irritation. "It's not like there's any other reason to come to this wasteland." She took her shot and glared at nothing for a moment. "They're not taking on soldiers at all?"

"Apparently not," she said with a sigh. "They were up until six months ago or so, but not any more. Didn't you notice all of the thugs and foreigners clogging the city? They're all hoping the Queen will change her mind."

"Huh, it doesn't sound likely," Minako said, draining her shot and handing one to Rei. Rei scowled at her, before tossing back the bitter drink.

"Hoping for a bloodbath were you?" the blonde eyed Rei critically. "I dare say you'll get your chance." She turned back to Minako and dropped her voice. "There've been some whispers that the Queen is going to drop a few more of her pets into the city soon to 'cleanse it' of rabble. So, unless you want to swear allegiance to the Earth, I suggest you take the next transport home too." She drained her drink and inclined her head to them. "It was a pleasure," she said coldly before walking away.

Rei glared after her then switched her angry gaze to Minako. "Let's get back to the inn," Minako whispered as she caught Rei's hand and led her outside.

Once they were a reasonable distance from the tavern, Rei allowed herself the growl she'd been holding in. "What's wrong?" Minako asked, giving her a sideways look.

"That girl was so aggravating!" she snapped, "How could you stand talking to her?"

"That's just how people from Venus are," she said with a shrug. Rei gave a disapproving grunt. "At least we don't walk around yelling and threatening each other, like you guys," she laughed, giving her a playful elbow to the ribs.

"All this time, I thought you were just kind of bitchy," Rei shot back. "Now it turns out it's genetic."

"Whatever," Minako said as she shoved her playfully. "You just don't understand the finer points of Venusian conversational skills."

"I would think you'd figured that out by now," Rei answered with a laugh. She caught Minako's hand and swung her around to kiss her firmly in the middle of the road. "You're sexy when you're being a bitch," she murmured, feeling emboldened by the foreign alcohol.

Minako giggled and pushed her back into a shadowed alcove. Rei wrapped her arms around the leather clad shoulders and pulled their bodies tightly together. They kissed passionately then Rei caught her wrists and turned, pressing the blond against the wall and continuing to ravish her mouth. She trailed kisses down her neck, grazing her teeth against her pulse point.

"Rei," she gasped. She released the slim wrists and let her hands fall lightly on Minako's sides. Minako ran her hands up her back slowly and buried them in her hair. She moved back to the soft, perfect lips, running her tongue along them then pushing it into her willing mouth. Minako moaned softly and hooked one leg around Rei's hips, pulling their bodies even closer.

There was a crash in the street and they broke apart, both panting. _Why does that always happed,_ Rei wondered ruefully as she stared around for the source of the disturbance. _You've got to be kidding me!_

Princess Serenity was sprawled in the road, giggling weakly. Apparently she'd run into an abandoned cart. "Serenity, please, it's really late we have to get back," Makoto pleaded as she and Ami tried to pull the Princess to her feet. She was almost there when she seemed to unbalance. She flailed her arms and smacked Ami in the face.

With a long suffering sigh, Rei stepped out of the alcove. "Need a hand?" she called.

Makoto's head shot up, then she grinned as she caught sight of her comrades. "Thank the gods, you two have perfect timing."

"Wish we could say the same about you," Minako grumbled.

Rei smirked and caught one of the Princess's arms, dragging her to her feet. Makoto came to the other side and they frog marched the blonde all the way back to the inn.

Once they were back in the room, Makoto hefted the Princess over her shoulder and carried her to the bed. Rei turned to where Minako was assisting Ami with her bloody nose.

"I don't think it's broken," Minako said soothingly as she knelt in front of her holding a rag.

Makoto closed the door carefully as she came out and sat heavily on the couch beside Ami. "Well, her Royal Pain-In-The-Ass Highness is passed out," she grumbled. "I hope she has a hangover from hell tomorrow!"

"So what happened?" Minako asked as she took a seat on the other couch and began pulling off her boots.

Ami scowled and said thickly, "We ran into a couple of the Earth generals. The ones from the ball." Rei paused in the process of removing her armor and gave the shorter girl a questioning look. "He wasn't with them."

"They insisted on buying the Princess drinks all night," Makoto added as she dropped her belt in the growing pile of armor and weapons on the floor. When she was down to pants and a tank top, she sprawled back and laid her head in Ami's lap.

"Did you find out anything helpful?" Minako asked. She had apparently brought her yellow pajamas with her. Rei couldn't help but stare as she turned away and pulled off her jerkin, replacing it with the soft tank top. She studied the lines of lean muscle down her bare back and the seductive curve of her hips as she moved.

"Ahem." Rei looked away and realized that Ami and Makoto were grinning wickedly at her.

"Um… you were saying?" Rei prompted, trying to conceal the blush rising in her face.

Ami chuckled lightly and continued. "We didn't find out anything. Either they're very good actors or they aren't part of whatever Counselor Beryl is planning."

"And the Queen," Minako commented as she sat by the flustered Martian.

"The Queen?"

"We found out quite a bit tonight, actually," Minako said, sitting forward. She went over everything they had heard at the tavern and the story the Venusian warrior had told them.

"Six months ago was when the shadow monster attacked us," Ami said thoughtfully after she'd finished. "It must have been a test run or something."

"But it failed," Makoto pointed out. "It didn't hurt the Princess, or anyone else." Then as an afterthought she added, "Except Rei of course."

"Thanks, Makoto," Rei grumbled.

"Maybe, she just wanted to see how far it would get," Ami suggested. "She could have been recruiting soldiers as a back up plan, or even a diversion, until she knew she could get those monsters into the palace."

_And now, she knows that she can_, Rei added mentally. "The thing is, a lot of people seem to know that this is going on. We heard people mentioning it all night." Minako frowned, then looked up at her fellow guards. "So how can the Queen of the Moon not know about it? She's the High Queen of the empire, but it seems like people from every planet know about this."

Then Rei started adding together everything they'd seen and heard since arriving here. _There are so many burned out buildings. Businesses and stalls that were just abandoned. Ami can't get a signal to send a message off the planet. ''We're completely cut off from the Moon' Then the words of the blonde in the tavern floated through her head. 'The Queen is going to cleanse the city of rabble'. The string of unexplained disappearances at home…_

She sat up in alarm. "We need to get off this planet!"

"Rei?" Minako touched her arm tentatively. "What's wrong?

"Did you have another vision?" Makoto asked nervously.

"What if the reason Queen Serenity hasn't heard about this, is that no one's been able to spread the story?" she said, feeling panicked. "What if no one is getting away from here?"

"Rei, what makes you think-" Makoto began, but Rei cut her off.

"All of the burned buildings? So many people injured and scared? The streets were completely deserted tonight! And we hardly saw anyone that was actually From here!" She felt the panic rising.

"That's true, actually," Minako said slowly. "We hardly saw any Earthlings tonight, they were mostly from other planets… What did that girl say about the foreigners?" She turned to Rei, eyes widening, "Cleansing the rabble?"

"Rei's right!" Makoto sat up too, her expression one of dawning comprehension. "We need to get off this planet as soon as we can!"

"When does the next transport leave for the Moon?" Minako asked, looking at Ami.

The Mercurian reached for her computer, then froze. "I don't have a signal, I can't look it up," she said faintly. Her face drained of color when she added, "We can't even tell them where we are… What are we going to do?"


	14. Earth Part Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Minako-

Minako woke up to bright sunlight shining in her face. She groaned and threw an arm over her eyes. Slowly she became aware that she was sitting up on a lumpy couch and that something warm was across her lap. She opened her eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light. _It's weird how fast the day and night are here,_ she mused. She looked down to see that Rei was curled up in her lap, sound asleep. With a small smile she shifted her attention across the room to the other couch. Ami had fallen asleep sitting up too, with her head propped up on her fist. Makoto had her head on Ami's thigh and her legs hanging over the edge of the couch. _I'll never take a comfortable bed for granted again_, she promised herself.

Minako stretched her shoulders and winced as her back cracked in several places. They had talked late into the night, making plans and debating strategy. The biggest question had been whether or not they should wait and meet the Prince. They hadn't really resolved that part. _On the one hand, the sooner we get off this planet the better. Every minute we're here, we're in danger. On the other hand, the Princess will be furious if we leave before she sees him. Also, it'll look suspicious if we take off so soon after arriving and if he Is in on their plan he'll know something's up. He might even try to stop us from leaving_. She groaned again, covering her face with her hands.

"What's wrong?" Rei's sleepy voice brought her back to reality. She sat up with a pained expression, and stretched.

"I'm still thinking about last night," she sighed. Rei nodded, rolling her shoulders back and grimacing. "Are you ok?"

"Just a little stiff," she admitted.

"Me too. Should we wake them up?" Minako gestured to the other two. Rei shrugged.

"Good morning!" Serenity cried as she burst through the bedroom door, grinning cheerily at them. "How'd you sleep? Isn't it great here? Last night was so fun! I'm going to see what's for breakfast!" With that she bounded out the front door.

Rei raised an eyebrow and stared after her. Minako just shook her head in amazement.

"She really doesn't ever get hangovers, does she." Makoto growled as she sat up. "Argh! My feet are asleep!"

"Poor baby," Ami teased as she lifted her head and squinted at the taller girl. "Wow, it's really bright in here," she stated.

Rei growled softly as she stood up. "Should we go see if the Princess left us anything to eat?" There were assorted nods and yawning as they shuffled down the stairs. They found the Princess eating her way steadily through a bowl of something vaguely resembling food. Minako tried not to examine the contents too closely as she ladled a couple scoops of the mystery food from a big pot by the bar.

She ate in silence, focusing on the plan for the day. _The first priority has to be finding out when the next transport leaves. It's still a day's trip to the port from here, though_, she remembered glumly. _We also need to sit the Princess down and tell her what we figured out last night. But should we do that before or after she meets the Prince. We don't want her to give away what we know, that could put her in a lot of danger. But she shouldn't be going to meet him without knowing what his people are up to…_

The bench scraped loudly as Rei stood up. Looking at her bowl, Minako realized with a smile that she'd finished it. She stood and followed Rei to where she was talking to the innkeeper.

"If you don't know, that's fine," the Martian was saying. "Just tell me where I can go find out."

"I dunno," he said quickly. _Too quickly_. "I just take care of my inn, I don't know nothing about other planets."

"How can you work in the royal city and not know anything about going to other planets," Rei demanded. "Half the people here are from other planets!"

"I don't worry about that, I just take care of my inn," he insisted stubbornly. "I've never even been to no other planets besides this one."

Rei's hands were balled into fists at her sides and the innkeeper looked like he might burst into tears. Minako decided to intervene. "Please, sir," she said gently, "We're not from here and any information you could give us would be a great help, even if it's something that seems trivial."

His eyes darted back and forth between them for a moment. Then he leaned forward. His eyes were filled with terror and his voice was barely above a whisper. "The only way I've heard of anyone getting off the planet lately is through the Queen or the head Counselor. Hardly anyone's leaving these days. Please don't tell anyone you heard that from me," he begged. Minako was startled to see tears in his eyes. "Please, no one can know I helped you. I've got a family… This inn is all we have. Please."

Minako touched his arm, trying to calm him down. "Please don't worry, sir, we would never do anything to endanger you or any other innocent on this planet."

He looked at her in wide eyed wonder for a moment. She smiled and started to turn away, but he caught her hand. "You're her agents, aren't you. All of you, you're with the true Queen." Tears poured down his cheeks and his voice was choked. "Queen Serenity."

Minako stared into his hope filled, desperate eyes. "Yes," she said finally.

He let out a laugh that was more of a sob. "We're saved…" he whispered, letting go of her and turning away. Minako hesitated, but Rei grabbed her arm and led her away. They went back to their room to wait for the others.

"I had no idea," Minako said as she sat down. "No idea how bad things were here. We have to tell the Queen, before it's too late."

-Makoto-

Makoto gazed out the window, watching the sun set. _Almost time_, she thought. She looked down at Ami who was sleeping peacefully with her head resting in her lap. She idly stroked the soft blue hair. The door opened and she looked up to see Minako and Rei, looking sullen.

"Anything?" she asked them softly.

Rei didn't answer, merely scowled and wandered to where she'd left her armor. "Nothing," Minako said as she sat down heavily on the other couch. "Apparently the innkeeper was right: No one leaves the planet unless they go through the palace."

"Huh, I guess our only option is going to be the Prince." she said thoughtfully.

Rei growled something incoherent as she continued fastening her armor into place. "I know," Minako said soothingly, "but we don't really have any other choices." Rei shrugged irritably and didn't answer.

The door was thrown open with a bang and Ami twitched awake. "Are you guys ready?" Serenity asked excitedly. She looked at them all and her smile faltered. "You still want to go, don't you?"

"Yes, don't worry," Minako said as she stood and picked up her jerkin.

"Why do you all look so serious?" Serenity wondered, tilting her head and studying them.

"We're having a little trouble finding a transport home," Ami said, sitting up. "If you get a chance, maybe you could ask the Prince if he knows anything."

This was apparently the wrong thing to say. Serenity's eyes narrowed at the soldier. "I'm not going to interrogate him, if that's what you think. You said it was the counselor you were worried about."

"It is, but-"

"So have you found out anything yet?" she demanded.

Ami looked at Makoto, who shrugged. They had deciding against telling her what they'd found out until they had a chance to see how the Prince acted.

"Not yet," Minako answered for her. "Rei and I were going to do some more scouting, tonight."

Her mood instantly changed at that news. "You four aren't going with me?" She tried to sound innocently curious but they all caught the hopeful note, and it hurt. Rei turned away sharply, buckling her belt on and sheathing her sword with a slap of metal on leather.

"Makoto and I are going with you," Ami said coldly. "We wouldn't be very good guards if we left you by yourself on an alien world."

"But…" She stopped when she caught sight of their expressions. "Of course, that was a silly question." She grinned at them. "I'm going to get changed."

Minako hastily coiled her chain and clipped it to her belt. "Ready?" she asked Rei as she grabbed her cloak, draped it on and clipped the plain brass clasp. Rei was glaring at the Princess's door and didn't seem to hear. Her arms were crossed tightly and she jumped when the blond touched her shoulder. Makoto watched their wordless exchange. They shared a look, Rei nodded sharply, and they both left without a word.

Ami sighed heavily as she stood up. "This should be fun," she said sarcastically as she did up her armor. Makoto spared a glance for the closed door and shook her head. _How has this stranger become so much more important to her than us_, she wondered as she pulled on her armor.

The Princess emerged some time later, wearing a long white dress, which had a slit up to mid thigh and showed quite a lot of cleavage. Makoto looked sideways at Ami, who seemed lost for words.

She gazed at them expectantly. "How do I look?" she asked as she twirled to show off the outfit.

"Um… fine," Ami mumbled, picking up her long knives and sheathing them carefully. She pulled on her cloak and slung her holstered rifle over it.

"Yea," Makoto agreed, looking away. She checked the javelins in her belt and snapped her staff into the harness on her back.

"Why are you carrying all your weapons?" Serenity frowned at them.

"We always do," Makoto said evasively. She gave her a half smile, but couldn't hold it for long.

"But-"

"Ready to go?" Ami talked over her.

Serenity looked back and forth between them as she slipped her blue cloak around her shoulders. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Makoto had to force herself not to look at either of them, instead opting to double check her boot laces. "Why would you think that?" Ami asked carefully.

There was a long pause and Makoto stayed bent over, fiddling with her laces. "Alright," she said finally, "are you ready to go?"

They arrived at the inn to find that the Prince was already there, accompanied by his four generals. Makoto tensed when she was them. _What are they all doing here_, she wondered, suspecting treachery.

"Good evening, Princess." The Prince was looking quite impressive in a white shirt with heavy embroidery and matching white pants. He bowed low and caught Serenity's hand, kissing it with a flourish. He stood and nodded to the guards, who regarded him coldly. "Ladies, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Neither responded and after a moment, he smiled and caught Serenity by the hand. He turned and led her to a small table in the corner of the room. Ami moved to follow but one of the generals caught her arm. Makoto instantly had his wrist in a vice grip.

"My apologies," he said, releasing the smaller girl quickly. "I was only going to invite you to our table for a drink." He smiled and Makoto made herself let go of him. He bowed to them. "I'm Jedite, this is Zoicite," he pointed to the man beside him with platinum hair. "I believe you met Kunzite and Nephrite last night." He gestured toward the table behind him.

"Would you like to join us?" Zoicite asked with a polite smile. "We're all merely along for the ride, anyway, right?" He indicated the Prince and Princess who were already deep in conversation in the corner.

"I guess," Makoto said finally, tearing her eyes away from the couple. "We can see her fine from over there," she added with a shrug.

"I could definitely use a drink," Ami mumbled. Makoto looked at her in surprise. She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "I'm guessing you can use one too." That was a very good point. Offering the shorter girl a small smile, they followed the two men to the table.

They had been there for about two hours and were starting to relax a bit more. They were keeping up idle chatter, polite but vague. Makoto was working on her third ale and Ami her second. Suddenly, the four generals jumped to their feet and stood at attention. Makoto and Ami followed suit out of habit, before turning to see who they were standing for.

The Prince looked past the two guards to his generals, smiling. "I think it's time we were going, unfortunately."

Serenity looked slightly drunk but happy. She had her arms wrapped around one of his and was leaning against him. Makoto frowned in confusion. "Already?" she blurted, before remembering herself and adding a belated, "your Majesty?"

"I'm really tired," Serenity whined, yawning widely for emphasis. "Also, Endymion has to be up really early tomorrow."

He pulled the Princess to him for a long, drawn out kiss. Makoto glanced at Ami, who was looking pointedly away from them. Finally, he released her with a grin. "Until next time," he said with a low bow.

Serenity's face was flushed and she beamed at him before turning toward the exit. Ami immediately followed, but Makoto glanced back once more. The prince was watching her with an unreadable expression. He looked almost sad, but there wasn't time to wonder about it.

Resignedly, Makoto followed the others, both of whom were unusually silent. When they reached their room, the Princess gave them both a quick hug then turned to her room. "Good night," she said over her shoulder as she shut the door.

Ami turned on her heel as soon as it clicked shut. "Coming?" she said in a strained voice. She leaned her rifle against the wall and opened the front door.

"Where are we going?" Makoto cocked her head, studying her clearly furious lover.

"Downstairs. I want a shot." Makoto shrugged and followed her.

They sat in silence for a while, drinking. With a soft sigh, Ami finally spoke. "Sorry I was short with you earlier." She reached over and caught her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're not the one I'm upset with."

"It's ok baby," Makoto said softly, "I know why you were upset." Ami nodded and smiled at her, then leaned over to kiss her.

"Well, this is new," a sarcastic voice said behind them. To Makoto's absolute horror, she turned and found herself face to face with a very amused looking Princess Haruka.

"They seem to have developed a taste for public displays of affection," Princess Michiru pointed out, smiling.

"What are you two doing here?" Ami squeaked in alarm.

"Looking for you, of course." Makoto felt a cold dread in the pit of her stomach and looked down to see Artemis glaring up at her. "Where is the Princess?"

"Upstairs," Makoto choked out. "Upstairs sleeping."

"And the others?"

She bit her lip, not sure whether she should admit that she didn't know. Before she could make up her mind, they heard a blood chilling, very familiar voice scream outside. She jumped up and sprinted out, with Ami close on her heels. They ran out of the courtyard but froze in shock at the horrible scene before them.

-Minako-

Minako walked in silence beside Rei, who was walking stiffly and hadn't spoken since they'd left the inn. She knew that despite everything, Rei still cared deeply for the Princess. She also knew how badly it had hurt her to hear the excitement in Serenity's voice at the thought of being away from them. She sighed heavily, not sure what to say, if anything, to comfort her lover.

They walked without any clear destination in mind for a while, then Minako spotted a grassy, open park. There was a small pond with a couple benches around it. Smiling, she caught the Martians hand and led her to one of them. She sat down and Rei sat heavily beside her. She caught one of Rei's hands and pulled it into her lap, running her fingers over the thick leather that covered her forearm down to her fingers.

"I knew," Rei said quietly. "I knew the night of the ball that they would ruin everything." She laid her head on Minako's shoulder and sighed.

Minako kissed the top of her head, holding the limp hand between both of hers. '_It'll be ok' _sounded so vague and empty_. 'She's smart, she'll realize…' _she didn't even finish that one. _We'll get through this somehow… _She stared up at the sky and suddenly smiled.

"Look," she whispered, pointing upward. Rei tilted her head to follow her finger. "You can see Mars and Venus right now. They're so close, they're almost touching."

Rei laughed softly, barely audible, but it made Minako feel lighter somehow. _We'll get through this_.

Rei lifted her head and Minako turned to stare into the shining amethyst eyes. She leaned forward and kissed her, just once, before pulling back. She studied her features, memorizing every detail. The dark eyes, the high cheekbones, the delicate chiseled features, the full lips that were quirked in a slight smile_. The bump on her nose where I broke it… twice… The scar beside her eye…_

Rei reached up and traced the scar along her cheek. She turned Minako's face slightly so she could place a soft kiss over it. Then she laid her head down again, her face still tilted to watch the sky. Minako watched it too, letting her mind wander. _Almost touching, I've never seen them like that. _She wasn't sure how long they stayed that way, watching the slow progress of their planets. She realized that they were drifting apart, almost imperceptivity. Their paths had crossed briefly but they were forced to continue their slow orbits away from each other. _But they'll meet again, like tonight_, she reminded herself. _Eventually, their paths will cross again. Over and over for all eternity._

She realized she was crying. _Will that be us? Together for a short while, a perfect moment, then forced apart on our separate paths? _Rei shifted and she knew the raven haired girl was watching her.

"They'll find each other again," Rei whispered, reading her thoughts. "Mars and Venus, they'll always find each other no matter how long it takes."

Finally, Minako turned to look at her. "No matter how long?"

Rei nodded, wiping a tear away with her thumb. "I'll always find you, Mina. We're meant to be together, I know it. I can feel it." She smiled and kissed her softly. "We should head back, it's getting late."

Minako nodded and they stood up together. She cast a last look at the sky. _'I'll always find you. No matter how long it takes.' _"I love you, my Reiko."

They wrapped their arms around each other, holding on tightly. "I love you, too, Mina." she whispered. They shared one more kiss then started the walk back to the inn.

When they reached it, something was wrong. Just outside the yard was a dark shape, lying in the dirt. Minako frowned, pausing briefly to study the thing. It moved weakly and let out a whimper. Minako ran to it and fell to her knees beside the prone form. Carefully, she rolled it over and found herself staring into the bloody face of the innkeeper. His eyes were clouded in pain and terror. "Where are you hurt? Can you move?"

His gaze found her briefly and his eyes widened. "No, it's you…" he coughed violently and she watched a thin line of blood trickle down his chin. "You have to go… the Queen… it's after-" He choked on the blood again. Suddenly his eyes rolled back, he shuddered and was still.

Minako couldn't move, she simply stared down at the body in shock. Then something blocked the light shining from the inn. She looked up to see a huge black creature looming over her. Instead of arms it had two long, whip-like tentacles. It made no sound at all as it advanced on her. She stumbled to her feet and backed away, drawing her sword. Her other hand caught the edge of her chain and uncoiled it quickly, wrapping it twice around her fist with a practiced ease.

"I'm here," Rei's voice came from her right side. She nodded, not taking her eyes off of the creature. At the edge of her vision, she saw the point of Rei's sword wink in the light.

"They can be killed," Minako said through gritted teeth. "They can be killed just like anything else."

The creature made its silent way toward them, flicking its tentacle-like arms menacingly at them. She heard the change in Rei's breathing, the sharp intake of breath, that meant she was about to attack. At the sound, she flicked her chain forward. Rei moved in and hacked at its right side just as the chain wrapped around it's tentacle. It paused for a moment, long enough for Rei to cut deeply into the black flesh. It gave an enraged roar of pain, then wrenched it's arm back, causing Minako to stumble toward it. The tentacle was spiraling down the chain slowly. She tried to yank it back, but the thing had a firm grip on the other end. She sliced at the long tendril, but only hit her own chain. She tried again as the black snake-like protrusion crept closer to her hand. In desperation, she tried to let go of the chain, but it was a second too late. The tentacle wrapped around her fingers and then her hand.

It felt like it was burning through her flesh down to the bone. She screamed in pure agony, it was a pain like nothing she'd ever felt. She raised her scimitar, bracing herself, but through her haze of pain she heard a snarl of rage. She forced her eyes to focus as Rei leapt forward and swung down, severing the tentacle above where the chain was. The moment it was disconnected, the grip loosened. She grabbed the black end and peeled it away from her hand, screaming again despite her resolve, as it tore off chunks of her hand and wrist with it.

Rei had swung around as she cut off its arm, to score another cut in its side. At her second scream, she realized that Rei had turned away from the monster and toward her. Minako pried the arm free, then kicked it and her chain away. Their eyes met for a moment, then she saw it raise its remaining arm and plunge it straight at Rei's back. Her amethyst eyes widened in shock for a moment, then she crumpled forward.

"Rei!" she shouted, rushing at the creature as it pulled it's tentacle back to swing at her. Her only thought was to keep it away from her love. She wrapped both hands around her sword, ignoring the searing pain in her injured left. She lunged forward and sank her blade into its head, cleaving deep into its skull. She tried to wrench her sword free, but it reared back in agony, pulling the weapon from her weakened grip. Suddenly a wooden spike was protruding from its eye socket and it spasmed violently. Finally, it crumpled forward and fell in a heap in the dirt.

That didn't mean anything to her. Nor did the shouts of vaguely familiar voices. What mattered was that Rei hadn't moved from where she'd fallen. She dropped to her knees and cradled Rei against her. _Please, please don't be dead, _she repeated over in her head. She pulled her into her lap, ignoring the hot wetness soaking through the top of her pants. She heard a weak gasping breath and suddenly Ami was beside her.

The blue haired girl leaned over Rei for what felt like hours before whispering, "She's alive." There were more people around them, touching her, trying to pull her away from Rei, but she couldn't let her go. "Minako," Ami said, sounding close to tears, "We have to get her inside. You have to let go or she will die." She forced herself to hear the words, to release her grip on the woman who was everything to her. She heard voices around her, but she couldn't seem to get off her knees. Even the pain in her hand was far away. Her only thought was Rei.


	15. Trust

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine.

A/N: Hello everyone, hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I'm going for a wander and won't be able to update for a little while, so to make up for it: Here is another chapter! Thanks to all for reading, especially those taking the time to review. :)

-Serenity-

Serenity shut the door to the bedroom softly, wondering if her guards would stay in the room or go. _They were so angry tonight_, she thought sadly, _I wish they would tell me why._ She sighed and sat down on the bed, waiting.

Shortly, there was a light tap on the window. She turned and quickly opened it, smiling at her Prince. "Shall we?" he said as he gallantly offered his hand to help her out. She climbed carefully onto the roof, trying not to slip on the steep incline. He jumped to the ground and held out his arms to her. She jumped and he caught her easily, setting her down lightly.

They started back toward the inn they'd just left, but Serenity paused and glanced back guiltily. _It's not that bad, _she told herself firmly, _and I wouldn't have to sneak away from them if they weren't being so unreasonable_.

She looked up at the Prince and found him gazing in the same direction. His expression was troubled and he was biting down on his lip.

"Endymion?" she said softly, touching his arm. "What is it?"

He frowned and pain flashed in his eyes briefly. "Your guards…"

Serenity looked between the inn and the Prince in confusion. "What about them?"

He blinked several times and looked down as though he'd forgotten she was there. Then he offered her a hesitant smile. "Did they ever tell you why they don't like me?"

She sighed heavily, linking her arm through his. "Not really," she answered sadly. Their vague suspicions at the ball had been the only indication before tonight that they didn't like the Earthlings. "I don't understand, they didn't even give you a chance. None of you. That's so unlike them."

"They're just trying to protect you, I'm sure," he said soothingly. "After all, they've been the main people in your life for a long time. It must be hard to see you care about anyone else."

"That's so silly, though," she pouted. "Of course I care about them. They're acting like they're…I don't know. Jealous?"

"They're only doing what they think is best, I'm sure," he reassured her. She shrugged sullenly. "Come on, don't think about that tonight," he said with a teasing grin. "You can talk to them tomorrow, tonight you're all mine." He scooped her up bridal style and kissed her as he carried her into the inn.

They sat back at the table from earlier and he ordered them a bottle of wine. "So where did your guards go?" she giggled, finishing her fourth glass.

"They're not my personal guards, really," he said with a wink. "They're my generals, but they're also my friends. They knew I wanted to spend some time alone with you so they went to a different tavern."

_So his guards care enough to let him be with me… Why don't mine understand… _

"Princess, you're too beautiful to look so sad," he said softly, watching her. She smiled timidly and he grinned. "That's better, I would do anything to make you smile."

He leaned across the table and kissed her. "Would you like to go somewhere more private?" he breathed after they broke apart.

"OK"

She followed him upstairs to one of the rooms, her head a fuzzy jumble of thoughts. _He's so kind and caring, strong and handsome… _He wrapped his arms around her as soon as the door closed, kissing her passionately. She felt him walking her backwards and the backs of her knees touched something solid. Then she was on her back on the bed and the prince was on top of her, still ravishing her mouth.

"Serenity," he gasped, pulling away and propping up on an elbow to look at her. "Tell me if you want me to stop, I don't want to pressure you into anything." She nodded but didn't reply, except to kiss him again…

She woke up several hours later, reaching for the prince, but the sheets beside her were cold. She opened her eyes slowly. The sky was starting to lighten. She sat up quickly, hunting down the clothes that had been carelessly tossed aside earlier. As she dressed, she tried not to cry or think. _I know he had a good reason for leaving, after all he can't be caught with me when we're not supposed to see each other._

She turned to look at the room one last time, and something caught her eye. A single red rose was lying on the nightstand. She felt her heart swell at the sight. She picked it up carefully and cradled it against herself. _He does love me_, she thought happily as she made her way back to the inn. She just hoped she could sneak back in before the others woke up.

-Ami-

Ami heard the scream and it burst through the numb shock of their surprise guests. She leapt to her feet and sprinted out after Makoto, who had stopped dead in the courtyard. Ami stopped beside her in horror. _Another shadow monster!_ This one was much bigger than the last. The scene played out in slow motion. A sword flashed, severing one of the tentacle-like arms. Rei appeared after it, using her momentum to twist around and slice into the creature. Minako screamed again, but Ami couldn't see her. She could only see Rei freeze and turn away. In that instant, they saw a black, spear-like arm impale her from behind.

Rei crumpled forward and Ami immediately drew her long knives. Beside her, Makoto swore softly as she yanked a javelin from her belt. It reared back with a scimitar cleaved into its head and Makoto flung her weapon in the same moment. The spear impaled the back of its head. It fell forward and Minako screamed a single word that made Ami's blood run cold.

"Rei!"

Ami sprinted forward, dropping down on the other side of the limp body. Minako was hugging the Martian tightly against her chest, tears streaming down her face. Ami leaned forward and felt for a pulse. Makoto fell to her knees beside her. "Is she-" she asked in a whisper.

"She's alive," Ami breathed.

Haruka and Michiru were gathered around them. "Thank the gods," Michiru whispered. "We have to get her inside."

"Minako," Haruka had her by the shoulders, trying to pull her back. "Minako, we have to get her inside, you have to let go of her."

Minako was rocking slightly, her eyes glazed over. "Minako," Ami said loudly, trying to get through to the girl, "We have to get her inside. You have to let go or she will die." Minako made a strangled sound and dropped her arms to her sides. She sat back on her knees and didn't move as Makoto lifted Rei gently and carried her away.

Ami grabbed her shoulder and shook her. "Minako, come inside. That thing is dead and we need to bandage your hand." Her left hand had huge wide strips ripped from it and was bleeding heavily. Also her lap was soaked through with Rei's blood. _So much blood…_

"Ami!"

She turned to see Haruka gesturing at her to come inside. She spared a last look at her comrade and ran into the inn. They had Rei on one of the tables and she was shaking convulsively. She forced herself to focus, Rei needed her. "She's going into shock. Haruka get me a blanket. Room number four. Grab my bag, too, its light blue with the crest of Mercury." She watched briefly to make sure her orders were being followed. Then she turned toward the aqua haired Princess hovering nearby. "Michiru, do you have any medical supplies with you?"

"Just a first aid kit," she said shakily as she pulled it from her bag. "The transport has a small medical facility in it, though."

Ami nodded and took the kit. "Makoto I need water, hot if you can find it but hurry." She quickly undid the armor fastenings, tossing the chain mail onto the floor and trying not to look at the two gaping holes that had been shattered through it. She drew her long knife and sliced open the black shirt, then gasped.

The hole in Rei's shoulder was about an inch wide. She carefully checked her back and found a similar one. They were oozing blood, but not gushing. Then she realized that the injuries had been burned in, partially cauterizing them almost instantly. _That means she hasn't lost as much blood as I thought_, she sighed in relief. Haruka had returned and spread the blanket over her, they set Ami's bag by the table.

Makoto set the pot of blessedly hot water on the next table and laid a stack of rags beside it. Ami carefully cleaned the wound, praying that it hadn't hit any major organs or damaged too much soft tissue. She ran her fingers along the edges of the wound. Rei's collarbone was broken and Ami could feel the jagged edge of bone jutting against her pale skin. On her back the hole was closer to her arm so it had barely missed the scapula, but she guessed that at least one rib was fractured. Shaking her head, she extracted a roll of cotton gauze from the first aid kit. She carefully packed both holes with it. Without needing instruction, Makoto carefully lifted her off the table so Ami could wrap a bandage tightly around her chest and shoulder. Then she used another one to tie Rei's arm against her body so she couldn't move it and open up the wound.

"That's all I can do for now," she said finally, pushing her sweaty bangs out of her eyes. "We need to get her back home as soon as possible so the healers can help her." She stared at her sleeping patient, thinking hard. "I just don't understand where all the blood…" Then it dawned on her. "Oh, gods, Minako!"

She sprinted back outside with Makoto close behind and stumbled to a halt by the unconscious blond lying in the yard. There was a puddle of blood slowly spreading from her hand. Makoto scooped her up effortlessly and ran back inside, laying her on a table next to Rei.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Ami mumbled, more to herself than anyone else. She looked around desperately, then grabbed her knife and cut a strip from Rei's discarded shirt. She tied it tightly around the thin, pale wrist hoping the makeshift tourniquet would be enough. She examined the deep tears in her hand. _How did this happen_, she thought as she dabbed ointment into the wounds. Minako shuddered, but thankfully didn't regain consciousness. Ami bandaged her hand tightly.

"Artemis, go wake up the Princess. We have to get these two back to the transport." The white cat nodded tersely and darted up the stairs.

After a long moment, he returned scowling. "She's not here."

-Minako-

_They sat together on the park bench, Rei's head resting lightly on her shoulder. "We're meant to be together, I know it. I can feel it" Her voice sounded far away. Suddenly she stood, stepping in front of Minako. She could see a huge shadowy form looming in front of them._

_"Don't!" Minako cried as she tried to push past the stubborn Martian. "You don't have to protect me!"_

_"Yes I do," Rei said quietly as she drew her sword. "I'll always protect you."_

_"You don't have to, please," she pleaded desperately. "Why do you always step in front of me? It's my fault you keep getting hurt!" She reached for her own sword, but it wasn't there._

_"Why is it you two are always making each other bleed?" Makoto asked, watching them impassively with her arms crossed._

_"I didn't! I would never hurt her!" Minako tried again to get between the raven haired girl and the monster. "Rei, please, I don't want you to get hurt again!"_

_Then Rei turned to her, smiling. "It's alright Mina,, it'll feel better in the morning." She looked down and frowned. "Mina, your hand-"_

_As soon as her back was to the monster, it lunged and Minako could only watch as the front of her chain mail was shattered and a black spear impaled her lover._

"Rei!"

Her eyes flew open, the scream dying on her lips. She tried to push herself up but cried out as a searing pain shot up her arm. She laid back panting, biting her lip to keep from making a sound. Her left hand felt like it was on fire and her arm was throbbing all the way up to the elbow.

Staring at the ceiling, she realized she was in the small bedroom at their inn. Slowly, she turned her head. Ami and Makoto were asleep on the floor next to the bed. Makoto was sitting propped against the wall with her arms around the smaller girl, who was sitting between her legs and leaning back against her.

She heard ragged breathing behind her and turned her head slowly the other way. The dream and the muddled events of last night were fresh in her mind and she was almost afraid to look. Rei was asleep beside her. Her breathing was uneven and her face was screwed up in pain. There was a blanket draped over them both.

Minako examined her in profile before carefully sitting up to look down at her. Her shoulder and chest were heavily bandaged, and her right arm was tied tightly across her body. _She looks just like that night in the infirmary years ago_, she thought as she used her good arm to pull the blanket up to cover her. _Except before she was like this because of me_. Then she thought back to the fight. Rei had hesitated and turned when she'd screamed, and while she had been distracted, the monster had stabbed her. _It's my fault again_, she thought as her vision started to blur. _She got hurt because of me, again_.

Voices outside the door caught her attention. She jerked toward the sound, causing pain to rip down her arm again.

"Any luck?"

"No sign of her, sir."

"Where could she have gone? I can't believe she would just run off like this!"

"We need to find her soon. We have to get back to the Moon as soon as possible or Mars isn't going to make it."

Minako stumbled to her feet, wobbling unsteadily for a moment before she found her balance. She lurched out the door, banging into the frame as she stepped out. Pain shot down her arm again and for a moment, the world swam in front of her.

"Venus!" Artemis cried in alarm, as hands steadied her. "What are you doing up?"

"What's going on?" she demanded, as Haruka sat her down on the couch. She glanced down at her throbbing hand and noticed distantly that a bright red stain was slowly spreading on the rust colored bandages. "Why haven't we left?"

"Venus," Michiru said calmly as she knelt in front of her, "your hand is bleeding again. I have to change the bandage, ok?"

Minako nodded, not paying attention. "Artemis, why haven't we left?" she demanded. "If Rei's life is depending on going home, why are we still here?" She gasped in pain as the bandages pulled damaged flesh with them as they came off.

"We can't leave without the Princess," Artemis said firmly.

"She's not…" She gritted her teeth as Michiru wound the fresh bandage tightly around her hand. "Where is she?" she managed.

"No one knows, apparently," Haruka explained. She was leaning back on the opposite couch with her feet propped on the arm. Despite her casual tone, Minako noted that her body was tense.

"How does that feel?" Michiru asked gently. Minako nodded distractedly and the other girl moved to sit beside Haruka. "We checked the inn where she met the Prince, but they said they'd left."

"We spent the last couple hours combing the taverns and inns in the area, but nothing," Haruka added with a sigh. "We'll just have to wait until she comes back."

"How long?" Minako asked faintly. "How long does Rei have before…" she couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.

Artemis leapt lightly onto the couch and put a comforting paw on her knee. "I don't know. Maybe a day or two if we can get her to the transport in time. There's a small emergency station in it."

"But…"

"She's strong," Artemis said firmly as he settled down next to her. "Have faith in her."

Minako looked out the window in despair. The sky was starting to lighten in the first traces of morning. There was a creak of footsteps on the stairs and a moment later the door was softly opening.

The Princess stepped inside, clutching a rose tightly in one hand and looking distinctly disheveled. She gasped as she caught sight of everyone. "Artemis? I- What are you all doing here?" She tried to straighten her dress casually.

Suddenly Minako saw red. "Where have you been?" She jumped to her feet and rushed forward, ignoring the way the room lurched when she moved.

"Minako, what happened to your hand?"

"Where were you?" she repeated, grabbing the front of her dress. She stared into the shocked blue eyes, feeling murderous. "You were with Him weren't you."

Serenity blushed furiously. "It's none of your business where-"

"Did you tell him where we were staying?" Minako screamed, shoving her against the wall roughly. "Is that how that thing knew where we were?"

The room started to blur around the edges as hands grabbed her and dragged her back. She couldn't seem to stop her voice, though, as all of her thoughts came pouring out. "You stupid, fucking slut! We told you he was using you! You told him where to find us and they sent that thing here! And Rei knew! She knew all along and she told you and now she's going to die-"

Her legs gave out as what she had just said registered. _She's not. She's not going to die. She can't_. "She knew and she told you," Minako said between sobs. "She can't die…" she whispered, as everything went black.

-Makoto-

Makoto jerked awake, staring blearily around. Ami was asleep leaning against her. She looked around and realized that Minako was no longer in the bed. "Ami," she gently shook her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Did you tell him where we were staying?" A voice shouted, followed by a thud. "Is that how that thing knew where we were?"

They both struggled to their feet, running out into the main room. Minako had the Princess shoved against the wall and was screaming at her. Makoto rushed forward and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"And Rei knew! She knew all along and she told you and now she's going to die-"

Makoto caught the blond just as she started to fall. Ami rushed up and dropped down beside them and Minako leaned against her. Makoto kept a steadying hand on her back, feeling her trembling.

"She knew and she told you," Minako sobbed as Ami gathered her into an awkward hug. Makoto laid her head against the blonde's back and wrapped her arms around both girls. "She can't die…" she whispered, then went limp.

Everyone sat in stunned silence. Ami stayed where she was, holding the unconscious girl to her. Makoto hugged them both tightly, then slowly got to her feet.

Serenity was still flat against the wall, looking shocked. Her teary gaze fell on Makoto. "What happened?" she whispered shakily.

"We'll explain on the way," Artemis said brusquely. "We need to leave, now."

Everything was already packed and ready. Ami and Makoto had gathered everyone's weapons and armor and bundled them together hours ago.

The Princess hesitated. "We're leaving? But…"

"We have to get Mars back to the transport," Haruka explained as she gathered the bags into a pile. "It's on the edge of town, it shouldn't take more than an hour to get there. Here," she added, thrusting Minako and Rei's packs into her unresisting arms.

"What happened to Rei?" Serenity asked tearfully.

Makoto frowned, but opted not to answer quite yet. "Ami," Makoto placed a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. She looked up, teary-eyed, and nodded.

"I'll get her," Haruka volunteered. She picked up Minako's small body easily.

Makoto nodded and went into the bedroom. She carefully wrapped the blanket around Rei's still sleeping form and scooped her up gently. She tried to jostle her as little as possible as the group trooped down the stairs to the street. They got a few curious looks as they made their way down the dingy street.

Makoto breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the transport, its crescent moon emblem reflecting the morning sunlight. She walked up the ramp and went straight to the back of the vehicle, laying Rei carefully on a cot. Haruka set Minako on the other one, picking up her injured hand and placing it across her chest.

They heard distant shouting, exchanged a look, and rushed out. There were a dozen Earth soldiers, all with their spears held ready and aimed at the small group.

"No vehicles are allowed to leave the planet without written authorization from Counselor Beryl or Queen Metallia," one of the men said firmly, his spear aimed at Artemis.

"We are authorized by Queen Serenity, High Queen of the Silver Empire!" Artemis spat, his hair standing on end. "If you try to detain us you'll be in direct defiance of her Royal Highness's wishes."

"We've had reports that some members of your party were involved in some unpleasantness that resulted in the death of the owner of the inn where you were staying," he explained. "They're wanted for questioning."

Makoto's mouth dropped open. "That monster killed him!" she snarled.

"It also seriously injured two members of the Princess's royal guard," Ami added, moving to stand beside her.

"Be that as it may-" he began, but broke off at the sight of a uniformed figure running toward them.

"Captain," Jadeite skidded to a halt and faced the startled guard. "Let these people go at once," he ordered. The man mouthed soundlessly for a moment then turned on his heel and marched away, his men shuffling after.

Jadeite turned back and bowed low to them. "Many pardons for the mix up," he said smoothly. Then he turned to the Princess, whose mouth was hanging open. "The Prince sends his bests regards and wishes you a safe trip home." He bowed again and left.

No one spoke as they entered the transport. Makoto took a seat next to Rei's cot. Haruka and Michiru went to the cockpit and soon they were leaving Earth behind.

Serenity sat a few seats away, clutching her rose and crying softly. Artemis leapt lightly into the seat next to Makoto, eyeing her shrewdly. "So would anyone like to explain exactly what is going on?"

Ami sighed and sat on his other side, running her hands through her hair. "That's exactly what we were going to ask you," she said stiffly. His eyes widened as he turned to look at her. "It's time you stopped keeping secrets from us. We need to know what's happening."

"It's really not my place," he muttered. "The Queen…"

Makoto had had enough. "The Queen should have listened to Rei the night of the ball! Then none of this would have happened," she exploded. Her gaze fell on Serenity, who was watching her fearfully. "You should have too," she added, not bothering to hide the venom in her voice.

"She did listen, but political matters aren't your concern," Artemis said firmly.

"They are when they directly threaten our duty to protect the Princess," Ami insisted. "We never would have gone there looking for answers if she would have just given them. The people of Earth are plotting against the Empire, and by extension, the Princess. We told you about our encounter with the Prince that night."

"You lied to me?" Serenity gasped. "You told me you didn't think he'd done anything!"

"You didn't give us a choice," Ami snapped. Serenity flinched as though she'd been slapped. "Rei told you, all of us told you, what happened and what we suspected. You didn't believe us."

"I didn't think-"

"That much is obvious," Ami snarled over her. Makoto had never seen the smaller girl so furious. "We're here to protect you. Any one of us would give our lives to keep you from harm, yet you don't trust us."

"I do," she cried. "It's just that I… he…" She trailed off and looked at the floor.

"Did you tell him where we were staying?" Makoto demanded, remembering what Minako had said.

All eyes turned to her but she kept her gaze firmly on the floor. "Just so he could come get me," she admitted quietly. "I just wanted to be with him, without you there glaring and being mean to him."

"You think that he may have ordered the attack last night?" Artemis asked incredulously.

"It would make sense, wouldn't it?" Ami said, watching him intently. "We found out quite a bit about what's been going on there, and a lot of it isn't good."

"The Queen…" A strained voice said.

Makoto hurried to the Venusian's side and helped her sit up. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

Minako twitched one shoulder as an answer. Her eyes were still dull with pain, but she seemed determined to join the conversation. "We found out that the Queen of Earth is summoning the monsters somehow," she said through clenched teeth.

Artemis's head snapped toward her. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

"A woman we were talking to in a tavern. She said they weren't taking on soldiers any more, because the Queen could summon creatures. They stopped mustering soldiers six months ago."

"Six months…" Artemis mused.

"She must have been lying!" Serenity cried shrilly.

"Why would she?" Artemis asked with a small frown.

"I don't know, but she must have been," she insisted. "I just can't believe that he would be involved in something like that. He loves me, he wouldn't do that."

Makoto just stared at her in disbelief. There it was again, trusting him over them. Artemis jumped to the floor and went into the cockpit, leaving them alone. Serenity was staring at the rose in her hand.

"Princess," Ami said finally, "Why are you refusing to believe us. When have we ever done anything that would make you doubt us?" Her tone was plaintive, full of hurt and confusion.

"You haven't," Serenity said quietly. "Not until recently."

"We tried to tell you the truth, but you didn't believe us." Makoto said gently, willing the Princess to look at them.

"He said…he said that he loved me." She looked at them with shining eyes. "I don't know why I believed him." She dropped her head into her hands, crying pitifully. "Gods, I'm so stupid…"

Makoto and Ami both got up and went to her, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, clinging to them. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry," Makoto said soothingly, holding the smaller girl. "We'll be home soon. Everything will be alright, you'll see."


	16. The Counsel Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the delay, hope you're all still enjoying the story. Some people have been wondering if I'm going to write a sequel and the answer is yes, definitely! There will be a few issues that the girls will have to resolve in their next life. On with the story!

-Ami-

-1 Ami sat in the infirmary, feeling numb. They had arrived home a couple hours ago and were immediately escorted to the castle by a contingent of Lunar guards. They'd only been gone a week, but it felt like longer. She glanced at Makoto, who was standing by the wall and gazing out the window. Serenity was sitting in a corner opposite her, looking thoroughly miserable. Neither one had really spoken since their return.

Minako was sitting on Ami's other side, staring at the floor. Her hand was heavily bandaged and she was still extremely pale. Ami shuddered involuntarily, thinking how close the blonde had come to bleeding to death. At the movement, Minako looked up at her. Her blue eyes were bloodshot from crying and lack of sleep. She opened her mouth to try to say something comforting, but failed miserably. Minako sighed heavily and returned her haunted gaze to the floor.

Ami looked past her to the white curtain that separated them from the other end of the room. The healers had been working on Rei since their return and there was no word yet on her condition. She knew that Minako blamed herself for what had happened. _She should blame me_, she thought bitterly. _Going there was my idea, after all. And what did we accomplish?_ She shook her head slightly. There was no point in brooding, she would just have to wait until they could speak to the Queen.

Makoto shifted slightly, causing everyone to look up at her. "There sure are a lot of people around today," she said vaguely, gesturing out the window. Minako shrugged irritably and looked away.

Ami stood to join the taller girl by the window. She looked out into the courtyard below them. "I noticed that, too," Ami answered softly, just for something to talk about. "Especially in the village, a lot of people are traveling here." Makoto nodded silently. There had been vast crowds of people all the way to the palace. Many looked like families, quite a few were injured, and they seemed to have an unusual amount of luggage. Ami couldn't begin to guess what they were all doing there.

The curtain was suddenly pulled back and Lady Pluto stepped out. Minako was immediately on her feet and Ami and Makoto moved to flank her. "The healers are going to keep her asleep for a couple days, her injuries were very severe, but she's going to be alright. You can go in if you would like." Minako gave a choked sob and strode in immediately.

Ami hung back reluctantly, facing the taller woman. "We'd like to speak to the Queen as soon as possible," she said calmly.

Lady Pluto studied them pensively. "I'm sorry," she said after a moment, "The Queen is going to be detained most of the day. I'm sure when she has time she'll come talk with you."

"Busy with what?" Makoto demanded. "This is important!"

"I have no doubt it is," Pluto said, raising an eyebrow at her, "She will speak with you as soon as she is able." She swept past them toward the door.

Ami was stunned. _After all of this, they're still going to keep us in the dark? There must be some way to get through to her…_

"Setsuna?" Serenity asked timidly, rising to stand by her. Pluto stopped and turned toward the Princess. "Can I come with you?" The older woman seemed to consider her, before nodding once. The two left the guards standing in the room.

"What the hell was that about?" Makoto growled, glaring at the closed door. "They're still not going to tell us anything?"

Ami shook her head but the door opened again before she could respond. Luna emerged, followed by Artemis. She looked between them for a moment. "How is she?" Luna asked softly.

"Hurt pretty badly, but she'll make it. We heal fast," Ami said coldly. She was in no mood to be lectured. She returned to her seat and Makoto sat heavily next to her.

"I was wondering if we could talk to you," she said tentatively, sitting in front of them and curling her tail around her paws.

Makoto grunted something incoherent. Ami stared down at her tiredly. "I don't see why not," she said dismissively.

Artemis leapt lightly into the seat next to her and studied her intently. "Before we do, is there anything you'd like to ask us?"

Ami glanced at Makoto, then back at the cats. "What's the point? We already know that our only concern is protecting the Princess," she said bitterly. "We don't need to know any more than that, right?"

Luna sighed heavily. "I'm sorry we couldn't tell you more, the Queen has her reasons for not saying more."

"And what reason is that?" Makoto spat, shifting slightly to face them.

"She wanted to protect you," Artemis said tiredly. "But in light of recent events, we thought it might be a better idea to speak with you. You put yourselves in incredible danger by leaving, more than you could possibly realize."

"We never would have gone if-" Makoto began but Luna cut her off.

"We know," she said soothingly. "Now, I don't know what the Queen or the Princess have told you, but it would be better to get things straight."

"The Princess told us that there was a prophesy made by the Martian seers," Ami said slowly, watching them for a reaction. As she'd expected they exchanged a hasty alarmed look. "So it's true." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Luna said finally. "It's the reason you were brought here."

"A shadow will creep over the land. Slowly at first but it will be like nothing ever witnessed. It will bathe the land in darkness and at it's head a familiar face. The purest light will lift the shadows, light of the child of the moon. As she is lost, so then is everything lost. Wisdom, Passion, Courage and Love to shield the light, or the darkness will swallow all." Artemis quoted.

Ami could do nothing but stare. Makoto made a choked sound and Ami felt a calloused hand grip hers tightly. "What does it mean?" a strained voice asked from behind them. Minako had come out and was watching them.

"It means the four of you, from what we can tell," Luna explained. "Those are the philosophies that embody the spirits of your planets. As members of the royal families, you were the most logical choices."

"And Serenity is the light they speak of?" Ami said faintly. "The light that everyone in the Empire is depending on?" They nodded. "Does she know?"

"The Queen didn't want to burden her," Artemis answered. "Or you. I think she wanted you to protect the Princess because you wanted to, not because you had to."

"But we do have to," Minako said quietly. "How are we supposed to do that if she won't let us?"

"Ah, yes, I heard about the events on Earth," Luna said, making her distaste evident. "As to that, I can only assume that the Queen will speak to her."

"But the Queen won't talk to us?" Ami inquired, trying to keep any emotion out of her voice.

"It's not that she won't talk to you," Artemis said gently. "I told her everything that you told me on the way here and she's arranging for the Counsel of Planets to meet. Once that's settled I'm sure she'll come talk to you."

"We didn't realize how bad things on Earth had gotten," Luna added. "We suspected something was amiss when Queen Metallia didn't show up to the ball." _I knew it_, Ami thought triumphantly. "But no one suspected that she was involved to this extent."

"Queen Serenity is like the Princess in that respect," Artemis muttered. "She always believes the best in people."

Ami felt Makoto tense beside her and Minako scoffed. Artemis sighed again. "Unfortunately, in this case it has had serious effects. Refugees have been arriving in force the last few days and I'm afraid the Queen of Earth may have already established several footholds."

"Where?" Ami said tensely, remembering again the people they'd seen in the village.

"We won't know for sure until the counsel meeting, which won't be for several weeks," Luna said, getting to her feet. She started for the door, gesturing for Artemis to follow.

"Luna?" Makoto called softly, no longer sounding confrontational. "What should we do?"

Luna paused, her eyes moving over each of them for a long moment. "Protect the Princess. Look after her and look after each other. Now you know why it is so important." They left the three guards staring after them in numb silence.

Minako was the first to recover. "That's easy for them to say," she muttered. "Where is she anyway?"

Makoto shrugged and walked back to the window. "Avoiding us as far as I can tell. It doesn't matter, we have a job to do."

Minako shook her head and went back through the curtain to Rei's bed. Ami watched her walk stiffly away, then turned to her lover silhouetted in the window. "It really doesn't matter to you?" she asked softly.

Makoto turned swiftly back to her, her eyes flashing furiously. Then she sighed and the anger drained from her face. She came back to sit down beside the smaller girl and wrapped her arms around her. "Of course it does," she admitted. "We'll talk to her. We'll fix this and everything will turn out alright."

Ami nodded and hugged her back. She thought back to the events of the last week, the broken trust, the anger… _No, it won't_.

-Minako-

Minako woke to find half-lidded amethyst eyes watching her. "Hey," she said tiredly, sitting up. Her back flared in protest from the uncomfortable position she'd been sleeping in beside the bed.

"Hey," Rei said quietly, "Are you alright?" She tried to sit up and winced.

Minako nodded and scooted closer, using her good hand to push the raven hair from the other girl's face. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got stabbed in the shoulder," Rei responded, chuckling weakly. Minako looked down and fidgeted with the edge of the blanket, willing herself not to cry. Rei seemed to notice her reaction and stroked the side of her face. "Hey, I'm sorry. Come here."

She shuffled over to make space beside her in the bed and Minako climbed carefully next to her. She placed her injured hand on Rei's immobile right one and rested her forehead against her shoulder. Despite her efforts, she could feel hot tears slide down her face to the pillow.

Rei shifted slightly so she could wrap her left arm around her and sighed heavily. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked, placing a light kiss on the other girl's head.

"The day on the transport and three days since we've been home," Minako whispered. Four days that she hadn't left her side for more than a few minutes. Four days of guilt and misery, wondering if she would ever look into the beautiful amethyst eyes again. "I'm so glad you're awake," she said, her voice muffled against her shoulder.

"How's your hand?" Rei asked after a moment. Minako lifted it so she could see without having to move. It was still heavily bandaged and ached most of the time, but she wasn't concerned with her own injuries at the moment. "I'm sorry," the Martian said softly.

Minako pushed herself up slightly to look down at the woman she loved. _The woman who almost died because of me… again… _"Don't be," she said bitterly. "You saved me, I'm the one who almost killed you."

Rei frowned, searching her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"You hesitated," Minako said, hearing her voice crack. She carefully laid her head back in the crook of Rei's arm and tried to steady her breathing. "When I screamed, you hesitated and turned and that thing stabbed you. It's all my fault you're hurt this badly. Again…" The last word was a whisper as tears poured silently down her cheeks.

"Minako," Rei said firmly, holding her closer, "It's not your fault. I'm a soldier, I'm going to get hurt sometimes. It's no one's fault, it's just how it is."

"You didn't get hurt because you're a soldier," Minako insisted brokenly, "You got hurt because you were trying to protect me."

"I would rather be hurt protecting someone I love," Rei said firmly. "I'll always protect you."

The nightmares from the last few days came rushing back. _'I'll always protect you.' I know she will. This will just keep happening to her until one day it does kill her. Well_, she decided, _I will not be the reason she dies._

"No," she said and she forced herself into a sitting position. "Don't say that." She wiped her eyes furiously and got shakily to her feet. She couldn't look at her, couldn't see the hurt that she knew would fill the amethyst eyes. "Our job is to protect the Princess. She's the one that matters, not me." She turned on her heel and fled the room.

-Rei-

Rei sat up slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the light. It had been a week since she'd been released from the infirmary. _Two weeks since Minako has spoken to me_, she added bitterly. She pushed the thought firmly away as she swung her legs to the floor. She carefully unwound the night binding from her right arm and stared down at the knot of fresh scar tissue next to her collarbone. With a heavy sigh she gently slipped on a black sleeveless shirt and slipped her sling over it.

She wandered to the common room, averting her eyes from the crest of Venus on the door next to hers. _If she doesn't want to talk, that's fine_, she thought firmly. _I'm not going to force her. _

When she entered the room, Serenity immediately approached her. "How are you feeling today?" she asked, eyeing the sling.

"Better," she mumbled, striding past her. Ami was on the couch with a book open on her knees and leaning against Makoto. Minako was sitting at the table, eating mechanically. She didn't look up as the others approached. Serenity pulled out her chair then piled food on a plate for her. "Serenity, I'm not an invalid," she grumbled as she sat.

"I know," the princess sighed. "I know you don't need anything from anyone, but we all care about you and just want to help. Ok?" The princess stared at her, blue eyes sparkling with tears. She placed a hesitant hand on the taller girls shoulder.

Rei sighed heavily then reached up to squeeze the delicate hand. Serenity grinned at her and she offered a half smile back. "Sorry, Serenity, I'm just tense."

She started eating without really tasting anything, pointedly ignoring the stiff backed figure next to her. After a while, Serenity spoke again. "The counsel meeting is today." Rei stopped eating and looked at her. "I have permission to go and you all can come if you want to."

Rei pushed her plate away and stood up. "When?"

"About an hour, I think," Serenity answered with a shrug. "All the representatives arrived this morning."

Rei nodded, looking over at Ami. "We should go," she answered the unspoken question.

Rei nodded again and started for the door. Then she stopped, growling inwardly. "Serenity?"

"Yes?," the blond said from behind her.

"Could you help me with my armor?"

"Of course!" She listened to the rushed footsteps but didn't turn around as she felt the princess slip an arm through her free one. Once they were in her room, Rei carefully laid out her armor on the bed. She stood still, holding her injured arm out with her good one as Serenity carefully buckled on the black plate pieces.

She slipped the sling on after the shoulder plates were in place. Serenity was on one knee, buckling on the thigh plates. "So," she said carefully from her place on the floor, "Is everything ok with you and Minako?"

Rei narrowed her eyes at the top of the blond head that was focused on the armor. "Why do you ask?" she said stiffly.

She sighed as she finished the armor and stood to face the stubborn Martian. "You two haven't spoken since you got out of the infirmary. I just wondered if something happened." She buckled on Rei's sword belt as she spoke.

Rei glared at the wall. "It's her choice. I'm not going to force her to talk to me."

"Sorry," Serenity said quickly. "You don't have to get into it." She fetched the crimson cloak from the closet and draped it over her shoulder so it covered the strap of the sling. Rei watched her frown in concentration as she fastened the clasp.

"It's alright, it's not your fault," Rei said more gently.

Serenity smoothed the cloak carefully over her armored shoulders and stepped back to look her over. "Looks good," she said with what sounded like forced cheer.

The Princess had been shooting her guilty looks since they'd returned and had gone out of her way to be helpful. She seemed to feel that she was personally to blame for what had happened on Earth. Rei watched her until she finally looked up, her sky blue eyes pleading. "I don't blame you," she said softly, reaching up to tuck a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

Serenity stepped closer, placing a small hand on the armored chest. "Really?" she whispered, staring into her eyes. Rei nodded and the Princess smiled tearfully. "Why is it so complicated to love someone?" she breathed, cuddling against her soldier.

"I wish I knew," Rei murmured, wrapping her good arm around the smaller girl.

After a moment, Serenity pulled back and offered her a watery smile. "It'll get better, Rei, I know it." She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to the Martian's cheek.

"Princess," a snarl from the doorway made them break apart. Serenity met her gaze once more before turning. Rei looked over and saw a furious Minako in the doorway. "Your Highness, Artemis is in the common room and wants to speak with you," she said through gritted teeth. Serenity frowned slightly and looked like she was about to speak. Minako looked pointedly away as she stepped to the side. With a soft sigh, the Princess left them alone.

Rei stayed where she was, staring into the angry cerulean eyes. Minako was shaking visibly and seemed rooted to the spot. Rei took a hesitant step toward her and her eyes narrowed.

"That didn't take long," she sneered.

Rei frowned. "What are you talking about? I'm not the one who pushed you away," she said softly.

"It's fine," the blond said coldly. "In fact, it's better this way. She's the one you're supposed to die for."

Rei glared at her, taking a step closer. "I would die for any one of you. People on Mars know what loyalty means."

"And I don't?" Minako demanded, straightening. "I suppose you think I don't understand loyalty and sacrifice? You think I couldn't hurt myself to protect someone else, someone I love?"

"I don't think you even know what it means to love someone," Rei snarled.

"How can you say that?" her voice had dropped to a deadly whisper, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"How can I not?" Rei shot back. "How can I believe anything you ever said to me when it's so easy for you to walk away?"

"You think it's easy?" Minako's hands had balled into fists and she took another step closer.

Rei tensed, staring into her love's eyes. Then her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Then why?" she asked softly, hearing her voice crack with emotion. She looked down at the floor.

She heard Minako take a shaky breath. "I… have to. I'm sorry." Rei forced herself to look at her again. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. She reached out with her good arm and Minako took a step back. Biting her lip, she dropped her arm to her side. "I'm sorry," Minako repeated. Then she turned and fled down the hall.

-Minako-

Minako stood stiffly, surveying the representatives as they entered the meeting room. Rei was on her right, between herself and the Princess, and Ami and Makoto were on the other side. The five of them were standing by the wall behind the Queen and Lady Pluto. Haruka and Michiru were standing by the opposite wall with Luna and Artemis. Rei shifted next to her, brushing her sleeve slightly. Minako couldn't bring herself to look at her. _It's better this way_, she repeated firmly in her head. _I won't put her in danger again_. It had been her silent mantra for weeks.

The group from Venus arrived and she offered her parents a timid smile which was returned warmly. They sat next to the representatives from Mercury, all of whom had computers like Ami's open on the table. The Jovians were opposite them, chatting quietly. The rulers of Neptune and Uranus were talking farther down the table with their retinues. All of them looked extremely grim.

The last to arrive were the Martians. They were the smallest group, only the king flanked by a man and woman. They wore matching black leather and the king wore a crimson cloak. She knew the other two were the generals of the Martian army, Phobos and Deimos. Rei had talked fondly of them. She studied the king, a huge bear of a man with raven hair and beard and a thick scar that ran across the bridge of his nose and down one cheek. He nodded to them and she saw Rei straighten out of the corner of her eye. His eyes lingered on her sling and he smiled slightly, pride shining in his amethyst eyes.

_I don't understand those people_, she thought sadly. He's _happy that she's injured? _She shook her head slightly. His gaze shifted to her and his face darkened. He looked away pointedly and she sighed inwardly. _I will never understand these people. I'll never understand her…_

"Welcome, everyone," the Queen said as she rose from her chair. Minako forced herself to focus. "As I'm sure you're aware, I've called you all here to discuss a very grave situation that has recently arisen."

The Queen of Neptune snorted loudly, drawing all eyes to her. "It's not truly a recent situation," she said coldly. "It's a situation that has only Recently begun to effect the Moon Kingdom."

"That is true, unfortunately," the Queen said with a small nod. "If we had realized the severity of the problems on your planets-"

"That doesn't matter now," the King of Uranus snapped. "What matters is what will be done. For months now both our planets have been plagued by these creatures. Our people are dying, being forced from their homes, our armies are weakening by the day. I want to know where they're coming from and what is to be done!" He slammed his fist on the table for emphasis.

"We have recently discovered the source of these creatures," the Queen said calmly, seemingly unaffected by his tone. "It seems that Queen Metallia of Earth is in some way connected."

"Then we should go to the source and crush them!" The King of Mars said immediately.

"You can't just wipe out the entire planet," one of the Mercurian advisors said stiffly. "We need to find the exact source and find a way to stop it with as little bloodshed as possible."

"There has already been bloodshed," Neptune glared at him. "The longer we wait, the worse things will become."

"Exactly," Mars growled. "Every day we sit here debating and making plans is a day the enemy grows stronger. We need to send our armies to Earth now and stop them before it's too late."

"Our armies barely have the strength left to defend our own planets," Uranus said hotly. "I will not send my remaining soldiers away now, it's too late."

"I agree with Mars," the Jovian Queen said firmly. "The armies of Jupiter are more than willing to stand and fight."

"I realize that the people of your planets believe that violence is always the best solution," Minako winced at her father's sneering tone, "But perhaps there's a more diplomatic way to handle this."

Mars rose slowly to his feet, hand on his sword hilt. "Diplomatic? Not all of us are as weak and cowardly as you people," he snarled. "Mars is loyal to the Empire and we'll lay down our lives to protect it's people. That includes yours." Minako caught her breath. It was so unfairly similar to her conversation with Rei it hurt.

"There's nothing cowardly about protecting my people," her father snapped as he stood as well. "I'm not going to throw my armies into a suicide mission."

"Will both of you calm down," Mercury said evenly, "We just need more information about the threat before we know how to handle it. We've never even seen these creatures. We have no idea what we're up against."

"I've seen them!" Uranus practically shouted. "I've watched them tear my armies apart and burn my cities to the ground!"

"Then what makes you think we should throw our armies into their nest?" Mercury demanded. "There's bound to be more of them on Earth than anywhere else if that's where they're coming from."

"I've heard enough," Neptune said as she stood up and gestured to her retinue. "Until the Moon Kingdom is willing to raise an army against this threat, our planet has no use for any of this. My people need me."

"Please," Queen Serenity stood again, "We will find a way to fight them, but we must be united or we will fail."

Uranus got to his feet as well. "As far as I'm concerned, you have already failed. My planet is in ruins." He looked over at Princess Haruka. Minako watched apprehensively. "Where do you stand daughter?"

She looked at Princess Michiru, nodding as some silent understanding passed between them. "I stand with the Empire and the High Queen. I've sworn to protect her and I won't go back on that." She moved across the room to stand beside Ami behind the Queen. After a moment, Princess Michiru followed.

"You would turn your back on your home? Your own people?" Neptune demanded.

Princess Michiru faced her mother, gazing coldly at her. "You're the one turning your back on the Empire. I will stay and fight for my people, all of them."

They glared at each other for a moment. "Fine," The Neptunian Queen said coldly, "You have made your choice." With that she swept out of the room, followed by the group from Uranus.

The room fell into shocked silence for a long moment. Finally the Queen sighed heavily. "What say the rest of you?" she asked softly. "Will you stand with us?"

The Martian King stood immediately and bowed low. "My people will fight to the last breath for you, your Majesty." He scowled at the door where the others had left. "The people of Mars understand loyalty."

Rei made a noise beside Minako and she stared at the floor, willing herself not to cry. She desperately wished she hadn't come to the meeting. Every word the Martian King spoke was like pouring salt in the wound. _Maybe I am a coward_, she thought miserably. She made herself look up to see what everyone else said.

The Jovian Queen stood and bowed as well. "The people of Jupiter would never desert the empire."

The Queen of Mercury sighed heavily. "Neither would we, but we need to know more about this enemy if we have any hope of defeating it." There were muttered agreements from the other Mercurians. The Martians and Jovians shot them dark looks.

Minako held her breath as she watched her parents talking quietly. Finally, her father stood and inclined his head to the High Queen. "We will stand with the Empire," he said slowly and Minako allowed herself to breath again. "However, I will not put my people at unnecessary risk. I agree with Mercury that we need to find out more before we act."

Queen Serenity rose then. "I thank you all for your loyalty and strength in these troubled times. Please take our hospitality for the night. We shall have a ball in your honor tonight and tomorrow we can discuss this further."

As everyone was standing to leave, Minako turned to Rei. She didn't know what to say, but she knew she had to say something. Their eyes met and for a moment the amethyst eyes flashed with raw pain. Then her expression hardened and without a word, Rei strode out of the room.


	17. Tension

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Rei-

-1 Rei carefully shifted her sword sheath to the left side of her belt so it hung next to her knife. She opted to leave her gauntlets off, since she didn't want to ask for help again. Her mind was still going over the events of earlier. Her father's words had struck a painful chord. _It's true though_, she thought dully, _we know what loyalty means. Apparently it's not just her that doesn't, it's all of them, _she added darkly.

She sat down heavily on the edge of her bed and pulled the strip of yellow cloth from her pocket, staring at it sadly. _I just don't understand what I did to make her not want me any more_. Against all her will to stop it, a single tear escaped her eye. She held the cloth tightly, trying to control her breathing.

A knock on the door made her jump and caused a shockwave of pain down her right side. She hastily stuffed the cloth back in her pocket and wiped her eyes. "Come in."

Ami stepped in hesitantly, closing the door behind her. She was wearing a soft dark blue dress, but her long knives were sheathed at her hips. Rei eyed the weapons in surprise. "Can't be too careful," she said with a shrug when she caught the direction of the Martian's gaze. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Rei said shortly as she stood up.

Ami watched her for a moment. "Alright," she said simply. "I just wanted to see if you needed anything," she added as she started to turn away.

Rei debated for a moment then sighed. "Um…" Ami turned back, cocking her head slightly. "My gauntlets… I can't get them on," she mumbled, looking at the floor.

Ami gave her a small half smile and wordlessly picked them up from the dresser. She carefully fitted them on and buckled them. "Is that ok?" Rei nodded, looking past her. "You know," she said stepping back, "it isn't weakness to let your friends help you."

Rei returned her gaze to the shorter girl, considering her for a moment. _She's right_, she decided, _I'm taking my anger at Minako out on the rest of them_. She offered a smile, the first real one in weeks. "Thank you."

Ami smiled back and the two of them headed for the common room. Minako was standing in the hall, wearing a short white dress adorned with gauzy yellow strips. Her golden chain was wrapped around her waist. Rei couldn't help but stare. _She looks so beautiful… _She realized Minako was watching her and she dropped her gaze, feeling awkward.

"I'm going to see if Mako is ready," Ami said quietly, striding away and leaving them alone in the hall.

"I figured you'd be wearing your armor tonight," Minako said as she took a hesitant step forward. Rei shrugged her good shoulder, unsure of what to say. Minako sighed softly. "Can we talk?"

Rei nodded, still not looking at her, and followed her into her room. They stood awkwardly facing each other for a few moments. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Rei shrugged again. "Rei, I…" She sighed again and sat on the bed. "Will you please say something?" she pleaded, sounding close to tears.

Rei stood stiffly. "What do you want me to say?"

Minako stood again and stepped in front of her. "I can't do this," she whispered. "I was trying to protect you but…" Rei finally looked at her. She was looking down and biting her lip. More than anything, Rei wanted to take the smaller girl into her arms. To hold her and comfort her.

"Protect me from what?" she finally managed.

"From me." Her voice was barely audible and two thin trails of tears made their way slowly down her face.

Rei caught her cheek gently, tipping her face up so she could look into the shining cerulean eyes. "Mina," she implored softly, "Please tell me what's wrong. Please, I miss you…"

Minako choked back a sob and stepped closer, resting her head lightly on her uninjured shoulder. Rei wrapped her arm around her and held her tightly to her, feeling tears pour down her own face.

"I was so scared," she said quietly, "the night you were hurt. I thought you were going to die." She took a shaky breath before continuing. "If you had," she said brokenly, "it would have been my fault. I don't want to be the one that gets you killed. I thought- I thought if we weren't…" She trailed off as she sobbed into her shoulder.

"Shh… Mina, it's ok" Rei soothed, rubbing her back gently. "I understand why you did it." Minako pulled away slightly to meet her gaze and the pain in her eyes was heartbreaking. "I would rather die protecting you than live without you." She dropped her head down again, cuddling against her. "I don't want you to die," she whispered. "Not because of me."

"It wouldn't be because of you, love," Rei said as she laid her cheek against the lustrous blond hair. "Besides, it's not going to be for a long time. Death is part of life, but I want my life to be with you."

Minako nodded, wiping her eyes. "Staying away from you was the hardest thing I've ever done. I love you, Reiko."

Rei smiled then, wiping a stray tear away with her thumb. "I love you, too, Mina." She leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

Minako smiled at her and it was the most beautiful sight in the world. "Let's go find the others." She caught Rei's hand and led her out of the room.

When they reached the common room Ami caught Rei's eye and gave her a knowing smile. Rei grinned back, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Makoto strode in behind them, fastening her javelin belt around her velvety forest green dress. She grinned when she caught sight of them. "I should've known you wouldn't be wearing a dress," she joked.

Rei scowled at her but couldn't hold it for long. She chuckled and shoved her playfully. The four of them sat down amiably at the dinner table, laughing and joking. Soon, Serenity entered the room. She was straightening her tiara with one hand and stifling a yawn with the other. She blushed when she realized they were watching her. "I fell asleep," she admitted sheepishly as she sat. Makoto exchanged a look with Rei and hastily took a drink to cover her smile.

They finished eating just as Luna entered the room. She studied them all for a moment, eyeing their weapons in distaste. She seemed to deliberate for a moment before giving it up as a bad job. "Are you all ready to go down to the ball?" They nodded and followed her down the hall. Just before they entered the ballroom, she turned to them and glared. "Please try to behave tonight."

-Minako-

Minako wandered around the ballroom, loving the simple contact of Rei's hand in hers. _How could I have ever wanted to give her up_, she thought happily. _Who knows how much time we have left, I'm not going to waste another minute of it away from her_. She spotted the Venusians a short distance away and started toward them.

"Rei." A low voice stopped them.

She turned to see the king of Mars approaching them. His hand rested lightly on his sword hilt. Up close, he was quite imposing and the appraising look he gave her wasn't comforting.

"Father," Rei said as she tightened her grip slightly, "how are you?"

He shrugged and looked between the two of them, his eyes lingering on their clasped hands. "Who's this?" he asked gruffly.

"Minako, Princess of Venus," she said stiffly.

Minako stepped forward and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir," she said, flashing him her most charming smile.

He stared at her for a moment and she tried to keep her composure. Finally he took her hand. "And you," he said gruffly. _I guess that's Martian for 'I approve of my daughter's choice'_ she thought wryly as she tried not to laugh. His gaze returned to his daughter, who was still standing stiffly beside her. "What happened?" he asked, indicating her arm.

"We were attacked by one of the shadow monsters on our recon mission to Earth," she said immediately.

"Did you kill it?" he demanded.

"Yes, sir," she nodded once. Minako watched the exchange with interest. _He's more a commanding officer than a parent_, she thought. "It managed to injure us in the battle."

"Us?" He looked back at Minako in surprise.

"Yes sir," she said with a hesitant smile, "we fought the monster together." She held up her hand to show him the thick scar that spiraled up her hand and wrist.

He caught her hand and examined it. Then he let go with a grin and clapped a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Well, you're not too bad for a Venusian." He turned to Rei and smiled fondly at her. "Go enjoy the party. Take good care of each other." Rei smiled back and nodded before turning away.

Once they were out of earshot, she leaned closer to the raven haired girl. "I think he liked me," she whispered with a giggle.

Rei turned and grinned at her. "How could he not?" Minako smiled back and gave her a quick kiss.

She scanned the crowd and found the Venusians again. She sighed inwardly, wondering how her parents would react to Rei after their disagreement with the Martian King earlier. While she stood deliberating, they spotted her and hurried over.

"Minako!" Her father caught her up in a tight hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Hi, Daddy," she hugged him then turned to her mother and hugged her too. "Hi, Mom, how is everything at home?"

"Everything's good," she said breezily, flashing a radiant smile. Suddenly she gasped as she looked down. She grabbed Minako's hand, making her wish she'd thought to wear gloves. "Gods, what happened?" Her parents examined her hand in horror. "Your lovely hands!" she cried in anguish.

"Your face!" her father turned her head and ran a finger down the scar on her cheek.

She felt herself blushing and took a half step back. "It's alright, I'm fine."

"Fine? How in the world can you expect to find a partner when your beautiful skin-"

"Daddy," she cut him off. Here was the crux. "I already have a partner." They stared at her in shock. She turned to Rei, who was hanging back looking uncomfortable, and caught her hand. "This is Rei."

Rei bowed stiffly to them. "Rei, Princess of Mars. We've never met." Minako bit her lip, waiting for a response. She hoped they wouldn't be offended by the curt greeting.

Her mother seemed too shocked to speak, but her eyes had widened almost comically. Her father, however, sputtered indignantly, "I- you- what? You're a Martian."

Rei blinked, obviously unsure how to handle the situation. "Yes, I know," she said finally. Her parents both stared at her critically, lingering on the sword at her hip.

"Why does it matter where she's from?" Minako demanded, catching Rei's hand again and twining their fingers together.

Her parents exchanged a look before her mother spoke. "It doesn't, of course sweetie," she said carefully. "It's just that certain cultures… A fling is one thing but to choose a partner from..." She gestured vaguely at each of them. "We just want you to be happy."

The implication enraged her and she glared at each of them in turn. "I'll have you know that my time with Rei has been the happiest of my life. I was hoping that you would be able to look past your petty bigotry for my sake, but obviously not. It was nice to see you both." She spun on her heel and left, leading Rei with her.

They stopped at the refreshment table and she snatched up a cup of punch. Rei stood next to her quietly as she scanned the crowd angrily. "I'm sorry," Rei said softly.

She sighed and turned to the raven haired girl. "It's not your fault, I should be apologizing to you."

Rei gave her a half smile. "I seem to have that effect on people from Venus." She ran her hand lightly along her jaw.

Minako couldn't help but smile back at that. "You Martians and your tact," she said with a chuckle. "I don't think I mind though."

Rei grinned at her. "I'm not complaining, remember I-" She broke off abruptly as her attention snapped to a point behind Minako.

She turned to see Makoto having a heated argument with her mother. Ami was standing a step back looking troubled. A moment later Makoto turned and stalked away with Ami close on her heels. Minako frowned as they disappeared onto one of the balconies. "We should go check on them," she said with a sigh.

They came through the curtain and found their fellow soldiers leaning on the rail facing away from them. "It doesn't matter what they think," Ami said, leaning her head on the taller girl's shoulder, "I love you and that's all that matters." Minako stopped and turned to leave them to their private moment.

Rei, however, stepped past her. "What happened?" she snapped, causing both girls to jump. Minako stifled a laugh as the two turned toward them. _I love how she does that_, she thought fondly.

Makoto scowled at the curtain that hid the crowd from view. "My mother doesn't approve of me seeing Ami. She thinks I should be with 'someone worthy of a warrior'." She mimed quotations in the air.

"It's because of the meeting," Ami said quietly. "My mother will react the same way, probably say something about barbarians." She sighed heavily. "I just don't understand why they can't see past these petty differences."

"We were the same way at first," Minako said soothingly. "Once they calm down, they'll probably be more reasonable."

"Were your parents reasonable about it?" Makoto asked, looking thoroughly miserable.

"Rei's father was," Minako pointed out.

"Only because you have battle scars," Rei growled. "Until he noticed that he wasn't being very friendly." _He wasn't? _Minako wondered vaguely. _I can never tell…_

"What about you Minako?" Ami's voice brought her back to the conversation. They were watching her curiously.

"They reacted just like anyone else from Venus would," she said with a shrug. "Haughty and insulting." Rei snorted and Minako shot her a glare. "I'm not like that any more!" she snapped indignantly as her lover grinned.

Makoto burst out laughing too. Even Ami was chuckling. Minako turned her glare on them as well. "Not usually, anyway," Ami managed between laughs.

Minako couldn't hold back her smile any more. "Yea, well at least it cheered you two up," she grumbled. "Lets go back inside, who cares what they think." Rei slung her arm around her shoulder and the four of them headed back in.

-Ami-

"We're going about this the wrong way!" The King of Venus shouted angrily. Ami sighed. They had been arguing since breakfast and so far the counsel hadn't been able to accomplish more than making everyone miss lunch. The six guards were sitting on the floor of the meeting hall leaning against the wall. The Queen, Princess and Lady Pluto were seated in the chairs in front of them, effectively blocking their view of the bickering diplomats. Ami considered it a small blessing. She leaned forward slightly to look down the row of guards. Minako had her head resting on Rei's shoulder and was staring at the floor. Rei, herself, was glaring straight ahead and a muscle was working in her jaw. Farther down, Haruka and Michiru had their heads together and were talking quietly.

"If by 'wrong way' you mean wasting time debating this shit, then that's the first intelligent thing you've said all day!" Mars snapped.

"You would rather send the entire army of Mars to it's death in a pointless fight?" Venus shot back.

"There's nothing pointless about this!" Mars shouted. "The empire is falling apart because weaklings like you are afraid of a scrap!"

"WE-!"

"This isn't helping!" The Jovian Queen interrupted them. "Our armies are strong enough to handle the threat, we just need to know where to send them."

"We know," Ami heard her mother groan. "Mars and Jupiter could crush any enemy, blah, blah, blah. The point is we don't know exactly What we're fighting or how to defeat it." Ami sighed again and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

"We know they can be killed," Queen Serenity pointed out. "We simply need to find exactly where they're coming from."

"Killed how, exactly?" Venus demanded. "And at what price? We have no idea how strong-"

"We do." Ami turned sharply as Rei stood up. The Martian glared fiercely around the room before continuing. "We've fought and killed two of them."

"Ha!" Mars boomed, accompanied by the sound of a gloved hand thumping the table. "I told you, if just One of our warriors can kill two-"

"No," Rei snapped, "I didn't. WE did." She gestured to the three of them still seated. They hastily got to their feet to stand beside her.

"The four of you fought them?" Ami's mother asked weakly, staring at them. "By yourselves?"

"We worked together to defeat them," Minako said evenly, "All of us. If you have any hope of winning this, you're going to have to do the same."

Ami scanned the faces gaping at them. Their expressions ranged from shock to indignation to anger. "I'm not going to sit here and be lectured by a little Venusian brat," Jupiter huffed.

The Venus Queen glared at her. "You will not speak about my daughter like that, you-"

"Stop," Lady Pluto commanded, slamming her palms on the table as she stood to face the room. "Listen to what they have to say, the lesson is one you clearly all need to learn." The room went dead silent as everyone turned their attention to the four guards.

Ami felt very conspicuous under the intense scrutiny and shifted closer to Makoto, who caught her hand. They both looked over to Rei, who was watching Minako expectantly. Minako glanced at each of them, swallowed and drew herself up to address the crowd. "I understand how hard it is to work together when all of your cultures are so different. It was hard for us, too. But the only way we were able to defeat them was by our combined efforts. We've seen what they can do…" She glanced at Rei, who placed her free hand on her shoulder.

"We don't know everything but we can tell you what we do," Ami added, looking out at the crowd. "They can be killed by conventional as well as… unconventional weapons. Their attacks are devastating, but they have weaknesses. During our time on Earth we were able to find out that their Queen had been secretly gathering troops from all of our planets, as well as summoning these monsters. From what we can tell, Queen Metallia and Counselor Beryl are leading this plan."

Ami waited while they digested this information. Finally her mother managed to choke out, "You went to Earth?" Ami closed her eyes for a moment, rather than roll them. _Tell me she heard the rest of what we said_, she silently pleaded.

Queen Serenity interjected to rescue them from answering. "They did, several weeks ago. The point is the information they managed to gather will prove vital. We can beat this, together." There were muttered agreements around the table. "Perhaps we can break for lunch," she added.

Ami looked up at Makoto, who grinned. "Finally," she muttered.

"Good job," Ami whispered to Rei and Minako as they started toward the door.

"You too," Minako said with a smile. Rei, however, was looking past them. Ami turned to see the King and Queen of Venus approaching them. She and Makoto stepped back to discretely watch the exchange.

"I'm afraid we may have misjudged you," the king said solemnly as he offered Rei his hand. She took it hesitantly.

"You're quite beautiful," the Queen added with a bright smile. "I believe our daughter will be safe with you until the coming trouble. We'll need every advantage we can get." She inclined her head and Rei smiled hesitantly but Minako had narrowed her eyes. Makoto made a noise behind her and Ami elbowed her sharply. The Venusians both eyed the small group before smiling and turning away.

"Let's go," Minako growled, catching Rei's hand and leading her out. Ami and Makoto exchanged a look and followed hastily.

No one spoke until they had reached the common room. Minako sat heavily on the couch and Rei sat beside her looking confused. "What's wrong?" Ami asked as she sat on Rei's other side.

Makoto settled behind her. "Yea, your parents are ok with you two. Isn't that a good thing?" Rei turned to look at the angry blond as well.

"Yes, I guess," she said with a sigh, "It's just… I don't know. I didn't like the way they said that."

"That Rei was pretty and therefore a good choice?" Ami asked, trying to hide her distaste. She'd always heard that the people of Venus were shallow and superficial.

"No," Minako paused and smirked, "Well yes, but my people are just like that. I meant the other part. 'We need every advantage we can get'." She glanced at Rei and suddenly it made sense.

"I see," Ami said softly. "You're worried that they'll try to use your relationship somehow." Minako nodded miserably.

"But they're the rulers of the planet of love," Makoto pointed out. "I'm sure they wouldn't do something like that."

Minako snorted. "You don't know the people of Venus."

"You're not like them," Rei said firmly, reaching over to place her free hand on the blonde's leg. "You're one of us and we're not going to let them use you for anything."

"What about you?" she asked quietly.

Rei smirked. "No one makes a Martian do anything we don't want to," she said firmly.

The three of them laughed at that. "We know," Makoto chuckled. The atmosphere relaxed and the four of them settled into companionable silence. For the moment, at least, the danger seemed very far away.

-Makoto-

That evening, the four of them were relaxing in their common room. Rei and Minako were asleep, snuggled on one end of the couch and Ami was leaning against Makoto on the other. Makoto was letting her mind wander over the events of the afternoon. They had opted to skip the second half of the meeting after they'd given all the information they had. Now, they were simply waiting for the Princess to return to fill them in on what they had missed.

She idly ran her thumb over Ami's knuckles, feeling completely at peace. Ami cuddled closer to her, sighing contentedly. "Mako?" she said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think-"

SLAM!

Makoto jumped as the door was suddenly thrown open. Rei was immediately on her feet and consequently grimacing in pain. Minako and Ami turned toward the door with identical exasperated sighs.

"It's finished!" Serenity announced as she bounded into the room and made a bee line for the table, which still had food on it from dinner.

"Princess," Rei gasped through clenched teeth, "I wish you would stop doing that." Minako pulled her back onto the couch and quietly tried to calm her.

"Huh?" Serenity looked up from her plate in bewilderment.

Makoto snorted and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Serenity. What did they decide?"

Serenity made a muffled sound around a huge mouthful of food. She swallowed heavily and tried again. "They're all leaving." She hurriedly scooped up another forkful and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Leaving?" Ami echoed, sitting up straight. "Why are they leaving?"

Makoto considered taking the food away until they received a full report. She was actually halfway to her feet when the door opened again. "Oh, good, you're still awake," Luna said as she walked in.

"Why is everyone leaving?" Minako demanded.

Luna regarded her for a moment, tail twitching. "They're going back to their own planets to continue preparations. Surely the Princess told…" she stared at the table for a moment then shook her head. Makoto chuckled inwardly. "Anyway, they've decided to send delegates from Venus and Mercury to Earth to speak with the Queen there and gather information on the possible threat."

"What?" Minako cried shrilly.

"After what's happened on Neptune and Uranus?" Ami demanded. "After everything we told them about Our visit there? They're still going to try to negotiate?"

Artemis joined them. "Apparently, they want to further assess the threat and gather more data about the alleged creatures," he said, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"Alleged?" Makoto repeated. "They don't believe us?"

"They do," Luna said immediately, "But the people of Mercury want to collect more information about them, and the people of Venus want to try diplomacy before force."

"But what if something happens to them?" Ami asked in disbelief.

"And how long will it take?" Makoto added. "Is that really all they're going to do about this?"

"Well," Artemis sighed, "The rulers of Jupiter and Mars have gone to assemble their armies and prepare for battle. We're hoping that as soon as they have more information, we'll be able to launch a combined attack and stop this before it gets any worse."

"So what do we do until then?" Rei asked quietly.

Luna gave her a sympathetic look. "There's really nothing we can do but wait."


	18. Answers

disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Rei-

-1 Rei strolled down toward the training grounds feeling jubilant. It had been two weeks since the counsel meeting and the healers had finally, albeit grudgingly, allowed her to resume her full training regiment. She grinned to every guard or servant she saw, earning some questioning looks which she cheerfully ignored. She spotted Luna and Artemis heading toward her and waved happily.

They both stopped and stared at her. "How are you Mars?" Luna said carefully. "You seem awfully cheerful."

"Never better," Rei announced, patting Luna on the head before continuing on her way. She stepped outside and stopped briefly to take a deep breath of fresh air. _What a perfect day for a fight_, she thought happily.

She paused briefly when she arrived as she noted with disappointment that no one was down yet. _Oh well_, she thought as she grinned again, _I'll just warm up until they get here._ She stretched her arms over her head as she strode toward the obstacle course. She jumped to catch the nearest rail and did a couple pull ups to test her strength. "That barely hurts at all," she informed the empty course. "Let's see what you've got."

She took off at a sprint, charging up a wall and dropping to a balance rail. She flipped to the ground and started up a mesh net. From the top, she spotted a familiar blond head making it's way toward the grounds. _Perfect_, she thought as she dropped to the ground. She crouched and stalked around to the side of the divider. She stuck her head around for a moment and saw Minako peering around in confusion. She waited until the Venusian had her back to her then launched toward the unsuspecting girl.

"Oof! What- Rei?"

She stared down at the ruffled girl sprawled in the grass beneath her. "Good morning," she said cheerfully. She rolled off her and into a fighting crouch.

Minako got slowly to her feet, eyeing her warily. "Luna said you'd lost your mind," she muttered, "Apparently she was right."

Rei started to circle her opponent, not bothering to keep the maniacal grin from her face. Minako revolved slowly on the spot, watching her. "Are you alright? You seem kind of…" she gestured vaguely in the air.

"The healers said I could go back to my regular training!" she cried as she dug her toe into the grass and prepared to spring again.

"Really? That's great!" Minako smiled brightly at her. "So what do you want to- Argh!" She growled in inarticulate outrage as Rei pounced at her and knocked her off her feet again. They rolled a couple times before Rei tried to pin her. She used her knee to toss the Martian over her head and scramble to her feet. "Alright then," she challenged with a smirk, "You want a fight? Come on!"

She winked at Rei and charged. The two girls wrestled on the grass, shouting war cries and laughing. After a while, Rei noticed that Minako didn't seem to be trying as hard. She was waiting longer and longer to counter her holds and her blue eyes were sparkling mischievously. She kicked Rei's feet out from under her and landed heavily on top of her. "Give up?" she teased as she placed her knees on either side of the Martian.

"Never!" Rei answered with a grin. She caught the slim wrists tightly and unbalanced the other girl, using her shoulder to roll her off. She pinned both hands above Minako's head and stared down at her with narrowed eyes. "You let me do that," she accused softly.

Minako's cerulean gaze met hers and she smirked. "Maybe," she teased. She raised herself up enough for their lips to meet in a soft kiss. "Maybe I just define winning differently than you," she added with a crooked smile.

Rei cocked her head and adjusted her grip so that both wrists were trapped by her right hand. She leaned down to kiss the blond again, placing her other hand flat on the grass beside her. Just as Minako tried to deepen the kiss, Rei pulled back, bracing her body with her free hand. Minako tried to lean up to her and she felt her try to pull her hands free. "I guess I win this round after all," Rei whispered, looking down at her gorgeous captive.

"That isn't fair," Minako pouted, then smiled suggestively. "Don't I get a consolation prize?" Rei leaned down and trailed kisses down her throat, smiling slightly when she heard a soft groan. She moved her mouth slowly back up and nipped her ear lightly. Minako gasped and Rei released her hands as she met the soft lips again. Minako instantly moved to pull their bodies closer. Rei kissed her hungrily then tentatively trailed a hand down her side.

"Ahem."

They froze at the sound. _If that's Makoto and Ami, I swear I'll… _Her indignant comment died in her throat as she turned her head. Lady Pluto was standing a few feet away with her arms crossed. They instantly broke apart and struggled to their feet.

Rei tried to ignore the way her legs were shaking as she stood stiffly at attention. "Ma'am, we were just…" _Training? Yea right_. She felt her face getting hot and forced herself to stare straight ahead_. I wish she would just say something_, she thought desperately as Pluto regarded them silently.

Minako cleared her throat. "Good morning, Lady Pluto." _How the hell can she be so composed? _"Mars was cleared for training today and I thought I would assist in assessing her recovery."

A strangled growl escaped before Rei could stop it. _Really, Minako? _"I see," she snorted. "So are you feeling better, Mars?"

She doubted her face could flush any more without bursting into flames. She chanced a glance toward Pluto and realized that she and Minako were standing side by side watching her. She dropped her stiff stance and faced them. "I- you-" she sputtered indignantly. Minako giggled behind her hand and Pluto raised an eyebrow.

Finally Minako caught her arm and kissed her flaming cheek. Pluto chuckled as she watched them. "Sorry, love," she giggled, "You're just so cute when you blush."

Rei shot her a withering glare before facing Lady Pluto again. "Ma'am?" she winced and blushed again when her voice cracked. "Did you need us for something?" she finally managed.

"Yes, Mars," she said, smiling demurely. "We've received several messages regarding the current situation on Earth and the Queen sent me to fetch the two of you."

_ The Queen? How did she know where we… oh gods, really? _"How… did the Queen know we were down here, Ma'am?" Rei asked in a choked voice.

Pluto chuckled again and gestured toward the palace. "The balcony of the Queen's reception chamber overlooks the training grounds."

Rei let out her breath sharply. She glanced at Minako who looked more amused than embarrassed. _Damn Venusian voyeurs_, she thought darkly.

"So then, should we accompany you there or to the common room?" Minako asked innocently.

"Your common room is fine, I believe Artemis is about to awaken the Princess." She turned and strode toward the palace.

As soon as her back was to them Rei groaned softly and rubbed a hand over her face. She felt Minako's fingers interlace with hers and looked down at the blond. Before she could gather her thoughts enough to comment on her lover's lack of modesty, the blond leaned up to kiss her on the nose. "Come on, let's go see what's going on." She grinned and led her after Lady Pluto.

-Ami-

Ami collapsed boneless on top of Makoto. Both were flushed and panting. "We should start every day like that," Makoto breathed, wrapping her arms around the other girl. Ami murmured agreement and placed a soft kiss on her throat. She sighed contentedly and shifted so she could rest her head in the crook of the other girl's arm.

"Do you think the others are awake yet?" she groaned. _I hope not_, she thought wickedly as emerald eyes gazed down at her lustily. She tilted her head to capture her lovers lips with her own. She felt Makoto smile against her mouth before pushing her down onto her back.

"What did you have in mind if they're not?" the Jovian murmured huskily as she ran a hand up Ami's side. Ami shivered at the soft touch. "Round two perhaps?" She trailed kisses down her neck to her breasts and Ami closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation of her lover's hot breath on her skin.

"Setsuna went to go get them," a voice sounded outside the door. The girls broke apart and Ami felt a rising panic.

There was a distant knocking and they heard Artemis answer his counterpart. "Mercury isn't in here. Maybe she's already up?"

Ami leapt to her feet and frantically began searching for her scattered clothing. "I can't find my shirt!" she hissed.

They heard Luna scoff from outside. "I'll give you one guess where she is if she's not in there…"

"Shit!" Makoto whispered. "Pretend we're still asleep!" Ami nodded as she changed tack and grabbed the blanket that had been tossed to the floor earlier. She slid under it and turned onto her side away from Makoto. She reached for her lover's wrist and pulled her closer into a spooning position. _That should be believable_, she mentally assessed as she pulled the blanket up over their shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to calm her breathing.

"Jupiter?" Luna said tentatively as the door was cracked open.

"Hmm?" Makoto mumbled, trying to pitch her voice so it sounded groggy. Ami bit back a smile and continued feigning sleep. "Morning, Luna."

"We need you in the common room immediately," Luna informed the pair from the open doorway. Ami opened her eyes slowly. Luna was giving them a beady stare.

"Ok," she mumbled, not moving.

Luna sighed heavily. "Do you not understand what immediately means?" she lectured. "Get up, we need to see all of you."

_All of us? _Ami thought, cringing at the irony. Luna's narrowed eyes suddenly widened in comprehension. "You- I- Artemis go wake up the Princess!" she practically shouted. Ami felt her face flush and shifted uneasily. Luna looked over her shoulder to watch him disappear down the hall, then looked back at the guilty guards. "Get dressed quickly and come to the common room!" she hissed. Ami had the sneaking suspicion that if it wasn't for her fur she'd be blushing as badly as them. She turned tail and shut the door behind her.

Makoto giggled and Ami turned in her arms to glare at her. "That wasn't funny!" she squeaked.

Makoto only laughed harder at that. "I think Luna just lost one of her nine lives from shock," she joked as she sat up. Ami was momentarily distracted, letting her eyes take in the naked form of her lover stretching.

"We'd better do what she says before she comes back," she said shakily. They dressed quickly and headed to the common room. Minako and Rei were sitting on the couch when they arrived, the latter looking extremely disgruntled.

"Morning," Makoto said cheerfully. Minako grinned and Rei huffed. Ami cocked her head, wondering what had Rei so bothered.

"I see you're all awake now," Lady Pluto said calmly as she strode into the room.

"I think the only one who was actually sleeping was Serenity," Luna commented dryly. Ami let out a startled "eep," and Rei grunted and shot the cat a dark look. Minako just chuckled and gave Makoto a conspiratorial wink.

"Good morning," Serenity said as she stumbled into the room and sat at the table. "Why are we up so early?" she whined as she started heaping food on her plate.

Lady Pluto's lips compressed in barely concealed exasperation. However, any comment she had was stopped by the entrance of the Queen. The guards immediately stood and bowed respectfully.

"Good morning," she said with a smile. "We've received some news about the situation on Earth and I thought you'd all like to hear it."

Ami took a seat on the couch between Rei and Makoto, feeling dazed. For the last two weeks they'd been avoiding the topic. Suddenly the threat seemed very real again.

The Queen placed a stack of papers on the table and picked up the top one. "As you know, diplomats of Venus and Mercury went to Earth two weeks ago acting as delegates for the empire and this court. I'll spare you the details," she eyed the letter. Ami spotted the crest of Mercury on the back and knew that they'd probably sent pages and pages of data. "But essentially, the scientists of Mercury were able to find out a bit more about these creatures."

"Did they run into any of them?" Minako asked tentatively.

"No," the Queen reassured her, "From the sound of it, the trip was rather uneventful in that respect." Ami breathed a small sigh of relief. "The creatures are apparently human, or were. They have been transformed by some sort of dark energy into the monsters you have encountered. Scans of the planet showed several of the creatures roaming in outer towns and more in the wilderness of the planet. Apparently the highest concentrations of this dark energy were in and around the palace."

"So that means Queen Metallia is creating them right there in the royal city," Ami mused.

"Right," The Queen agreed. "But, while there were traces of the energy everywhere, they weren't able to locate any of the creatures there."

"That doesn't mean they're not there," Makoto pointed out. "Rei said when they're far away, they just look like shadows without any form."

"Yes," she said slowly, "I've already dispatched speeded couriers to the other planets, informing them of what we've learned."

"So we're going to attack the royal city?" Rei asked, sitting forward slightly.

"I thought their plan was to talk to the Queen as well?" Ami pointed out. "Did anything come of that?"

The Queen sighed heavily and extracted the bottom sheet from her stack. "They did," she said as she looked at each of them in turn. "The Queen of Earth offered terms of a peace treaty of sorts."

Ami didn't like the sound of that. "Of sorts?" she prompted.

"While she didn't admit to sending out the creatures, she did suggest that the attacks would stop if…" she sighed heavily and set the paper down. "If an arrangement were made between the Earth and the inner planets of the Empire."

"What sort of arrangement?" Makoto asked in a strained voice.

"A marriage arrangement." Lady Pluto answered. "Between the four of you and the four generals of the Earth army."

There was complete shocked silence at this. "Also between their Prince and Serenity," the Queen added softly.

Ami couldn't stop her gaze from falling on the Princess, whose expression was completely unreadable. Finally she managed to choke out, "What do you think of the idea, your Majesty?" Cold dread filled her entire body.

"You're all only sixteen and I would never think of putting you in any such position," the Queen reassured her. "But as I said, I've dispatched word to all of your planets. The decision will rest with them."

"We think," Artemis said as he leapt onto the arm of the couch, "That it's a way for Metallia to gain control of the empire. She wants one of her people on each of the thrones of the inner planets."

"What if they say yes?" Minako asked in a small voice. They all knew that her planet was the most likely to take such an offer. "Would we have to go?"

The Queen regarded her seriously for a long moment. "You are part of the Lunar Court and this is your home as long as you choose to remain in the service of the Royal family."

Ami heard her let out a shaky breath and silently agreed with her sentiments. _After all_, she thought darkly, _Mercury isn't any more of a violent planet than Venus. They'd be just as likely to consider the offer._

"We should have everyone's answers in a few days," the Queen continued. "Until then, please don't dwell on this. There is nothing anyone can do right now." With that she left, followed by Lady Pluto.

Luna studied them with a small frown. "After lunch, I'd like you all to report to the training grounds." She glanced at the Princess, who had been unusually silent. "Until then, feel free to relax. I'm sure you've all got a lot to talk about." She left and Artemis trailed after her.

-Makoto-

Makoto glanced around the room uneasily. No one had spoken since the Queen had left and the silence was starting to feel oppressive. Ami was sitting tensely beside her, eyes narrowed in intense concentration. On her other side, Rei was staring at her clenched fists and looked furious. Minako was leaning back against the couch and her face was hidden from view. Much to Makoto's annoyance, the Princess was eating her way steadily through her breakfast as though nothing had happened.

"So what do you think?" she asked the group finally. She was looking at Ami but saw Serenity stiffen from the corner of her eye.

"What's to think about?" Rei snapped immediately. "Our place is here."

Ami nodded slowly, biting her lip. "The question is what the rulers of our planets are going to think. After what happened on Neptune and Uranus, they might not think this is such a bad alternative." She leaned toward Makoto, who snaked an arm around her waist.

"Even if they want us to go through with it, it's still up to us," Minako pointed out. "The Queen just told us we could stay here."

Finally, Makoto turned her look to the Princess. Serenity was staring past them, eyes unfocused and apparently lost in thought. There was a soft rustle as the others turned to follow her gaze. "Serenity?" Ami said tentatively. She blinked and her eyes fell on her guards. "What do you think?"

She chewed her lip and dropped her gaze to her plate. "Well," she said slowly, "I could see why some of the planets would consider it." She looked up at them again. "I mean, we saw what those monsters can do. It's scary to think of them invading your home…"

Makoto felt Ami shift beside her, leaning forward slightly. "I meant, what you think personally. Not about the good of the Empire, but about us. And you."

Serenity's eyes widened slightly and she started fidgeting with her napkin. "I don't want any of you to go away." She looked thoroughly miserable as she added. "Plus you didn't like the generals. I wouldn't want any of you to be unhappy."

Makoto felt herself tense involuntarily at the unspoken accusation. _She wants us to be happy, even though she doesn't think we want the same for her_. Her mind cast back to their time on Earth and the awkwardness afterward. Things had seemed fine lately but… _She hasn't forgotten anything._

"What about you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level. Shining blue eyes met hers for a moment then flicked away. "We want you to be happy, too."

"I-"

"What are you suggesting?" Rei snapped. The amethyst eyes glared daggers at her. "Her Majesty just told us that Queen Metallia, and the rest of them, are threatening to destroy the other planets if they don't go along with this. You think Serenity should go with him anyway?"

"Rei…" Minako said softly, laying a hand on the Martian's arm.

Makoto was sick of skirting the issue. For weeks they'd been avoiding what had happened and they needed to just talk it out. "I'm saying it's not up to us to decide for her. Regardless of personal issues, we have a duty to protect her." She realized vaguely that she'd gotten to her feet and so had Rei. "And for the record, I care just as much as you what happens to her."

Rei's eyes narrowed. "Personal issues?" she snarled. "Since when is doing your duty a personal issue?"

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it!" The retort was out before she could stop it. Ami stood up quickly and caught her wrist just as Minako stepped between them and Rei.

"Guys, stop this," she pleaded, "It's not going to help anything to fight with each other."

"Jupiter obviously has something to say," Rei sneered, "Why don't you just let it out?"

She couldn't help but flinch at the tone and the look her friend was giving her. She took a calming breath before speaking. "That's not what I meant, I…" How could she explain without making the situation worse? The truth was that she suspected the soldier's feelings went deeper than simple loyalty or duty. _She always carries the Princess's handkerchief with her, she has for years. The look in her eyes back on Earth when the Princess didn't want her around. _She'd seen them kiss when she and Minako had been fighting, she hadn't even told Ami about it. She suspected that the relationship between the two of them was different than with the other guards. Ever since the night of the ball…

Everyone was watching her now. Rei looked murderous, Serenity nervous, Minako and Ami confused_. Minako. How could I say that in front of her? _"Shit," she breathed, dropping her gaze, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that, I guess all of this just took me by surprise."

Rei's expression softened slightly and she nodded. "Yea, me too," she mumbled before sitting back down. Makoto noticed she sat where Minako had been on the end, putting more distance between them.

Makoto glanced at Minako. The blond had a strange expression on her face and Makoto mentally kicked herself for planting the seed of doubt she could see forming in her head. Ami and Minako sat beside each other quietly. Makoto sank down on the other end, restraining the urge to bury her face in her hands.

"You don't have to worry," Serenity said softly, startling her slightly. She'd been so quiet they'd almost forgotten she was there. "After everything that happened on Earth… I don't have any desire to see him again. You were right, he was just using me." She let out a shaky breath and smiled at them. "I'm never going to let him touch me again."

Rei's head shot up and Makoto suddenly realized what they'd overlooked. _She doesn't know! _In all the confusion following their return, they'd neglected to mention the night the Princess had spent with him. _That's why she didn't understand what I was asking Serenity._ The other's seemed to realize this as well.

"It's alright, Serenity," Ami said quickly, "We don't hold anything against you. What we should be worrying about are the shadow monsters." She grabbed a book from a stack beside the couch and frantically started flipping through pages. "I found something a few days ago that could reference…" She trailed off as she searched feverishly.

Rei hadn't moved, so Minako tried to distract her instead. "Remember those people we met in the bar? Can you remember them saying anything about the monsters being human?" She touched the other girl's arm, but Rei just shook her off and stood up.

"Rei-" Makoto started but was silenced by a look.

She took a step closer to the table and Serenity rushed up to her, looking distressed. "What's wrong?" she asked, blue eyes wide with concern.

"You… with him…" Rei choked out.

Serenity frowned slightly and dropped her gaze. "I was stupid, I already know that," she said softly. "I thought he cared about me. Do you still hate me for it?" She tried to blink back tears as she gave the Martian a pleading look. Makoto watched the stiff form twitch slightly. "Please, Rei, I can't stand having you mad at me again…"

She took a hesitant step forward and to Makoto's surprise, she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl in a loose hug. "I'm not mad Serenity, it just surprised me." Her voice sounded hoarse. "You're not the one who lied to me."

She stepped back and turned on her heel. As she passed the couch she paused for a long moment, looking at each of them in turn. "I'll see you on the training grounds," she growled before striding out.

Minako made as though to follow her then seemed to think better of it. "That went well," she said dryly as she sunk back into the cushions.

"I don't understand," Serenity said as she stared at the door. She sat on the arm of the couch and turned to them. "I thought she'd be happy that I don't want to marry him." She laughed bitterly.

Makoto absently rubbed her hands on her thighs, wishing they could take back the last half hour. _Why did I say anything? _She admonished herself silently. Things had finally been going ok for all of them, finally calming down. She looked up at Serenity but couldn't think of anything to say.

"She didn't know," Ami supplied after a long silence. "About you and the Prince." Serenity raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"She was unconscious, remember?" Minako added, her voice heavy with emotion.

"I know, but…" Serenity trailed off as she bit her lip. Then she looked back at them in confusion. "I guess I just thought you would have told her."

Everyone shifted guiltily at that. _We should have, _Makoto told herself. _But it's too late now._

-Minako-

Minako pulled on her leather gauntlets as she walked down the training grounds. She hadn't bothered with her plate armor since it was just practice. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, _she repeated to herself as she walked. _Why didn't I just tell her? When would you have told her?_ Another voice asked reasonably. _When she first woke up? During the two weeks you weren't speaking to her? Or maybe in the last couple weeks when things have been so wonderful and relaxed between you?_

She growled out loud in frustration. _Why should I have been the one to tell her? I'm not the one who went out to get laid and left her to almost die on a strange planet! SHE should have told her, it's HER fault to begin with! _She was fuming by the time she reached the sparring ring.

Serenity was in the stands with Artemis and Luna. Minako forced herself not to shoot the other girl a scathing look. Instead, she focused on the stiff leather-clad back in front of her. She stopped a few feet away. "Rei?" she called tentatively. No response. "Rei, I'm sorry I didn't tell you what happened." She twitched irritably. _That was something_, she thought wryly. "I'm-"

"Don't," she said abruptly, still facing away.

"But-"

"I said don't, Minako," she growled. The blond stopped in her tracks, frowning at how stubborn the girl was being. Rei turned to her, and for a moment her eyes flashed with intense pain and confusion. Then her expression blanked. She scowled and turned back to the ring. "I just can't right now."

Minako sighed and went to the rack of practice swords, selecting a wooden scimitar at random and considering it distastefully. To their credit, they had the same weight and feel as their actual weapons. Unfortunately, they were indeed much sturdier than they seemed. The only time they had managed to break one had been when Rei did it several months before.

"Any luck?" a soft voice asked at her shoulder. She turned to find Ami scanning the replica long knives.

"No," Minako said heavily. "You know how she is when she's mad."

Ami nodded absently as she selected two knives and grabbed a staff as well. "I don't think she'll be upset with you for long, if it helps," Ami said soothingly. "Serenity's the one who should have told her."

Minako smiled at her and they headed back to where Makoto was hovering uncertainly by the edge of the ring. She accepted the staff Ami handed her wordlessly. "What's up?" Minako frowned up at the taller girl.

Makoto chuckled nervously. "I think she's going to put one of us in the hospital," she said as she gestured to Rei on the other side of the ring. _I haven't seen that look in a while_, Minako thought in mild alarm. She was scowling fiercely at the grass and gripping a wooden sword in bloodless knuckles.

"Hey girls," Artemis called cheerily as he strolled toward them, "Who wants to go first?" Rei wordlessly stepped forward and nodded to him. He turned to the other three, who shuffled uneasily. "Mars and…" he waited but when no one volunteered he just shrugged. "Jupiter, go ahead. Mercury can fight the winner." Makoto gave them a fleeting glance before she stepped into the ring.

Minako turned to Ami, who was fixated on the fight, and whispered, "So do you think your people will take the treaty?" The clack of wooden weapons echoed in the background.

"Huh?" Ami's eyes flicked to her and back to the ring. "I don't know… maybe," she said distractedly. Suddenly she gasped and leapt to her feet. Minako turned and saw Makoto sprawled on her back. Rei had one foot placed in the center of her chest and had her sword pointed at her throat. After a moment, she released the taller girl and Ami rushed out to help her up. Rei simply turned away and stalked back to the other side of the ring.

Shortly, Makoto flopped down next to Minako as Ami stepped into the ring. "Wow," she breathed, fingering her split lip gingerly, "I haven't seen her that pissed off in a while…" There was a grunt and both girls turned back to the ring to see Rei stagger back. She wiped a trickle of blood from her face and dropped down to continue.

"Ami knocked me out once with that move," Makoto said fondly as she watched them. "Hurt like hell." Minako grunted noncommittally, following the progress of the fight. Rei ducked a blow and landed a hard elbow to Ami's chest. At the same time, she knocked the knives from her weakened grip and hit her legs, dropping her to her knees. She caught a fistful of blue hair and pulled Ami's head back, positioning her sword against her throat.

Just like before, she simply let go and stomped away. They watched Luna approach the Martian and try to examine her injury. "What's gotten into her today?" Artemis wondered as he came to sit beside them.

Ami sat down gingerly beside Makoto and laid her head on her shoulder. "Ow…" Minako glanced sideways and saw her massaging her sternum.

"Poor baby…" Makoto murmured, wrapping her arms around her.

"To answer your question, Artemis," Ami said with a sigh, "We had a little miscommunication this morning and she is demonstrating her displeasure with us."

Minako chuckled as she pushed herself to her feet. "In other words, she's going to beat the hell out of us to teach us a lesson about keeping things from her," she clarified as she strode into the ring. She offered a small smile to the other girl which was completely ignored.

Minako noted a dark bruise forming on her cheek and a gash oozing blood at her temple. She shook her head for the stubbornness of Martians and raised her sword.

Rei immediately lunged at her with a series of short hacks which she barely deflected. _She doesn't usually fight so recklessly_, she mused. Her inattention earned her a hard jab to the stomach that winded her. _Focus, Minako! Now is not the time to analyze her._

She countered the next blow and landed a hit across the knuckles of her sword hand. Rei grimaced and stepped back, but charged right back. She swung low and caught her in the knee, then used the momentum to drive her shoulder into her chest. Minako hit the ground hard and the world swam for a moment. Rei landed on top of her but Minako managed to throw her off and stagger to her feet. _Wow, I haven't seen her this angry in a long time… _She swung across and managed a heavy blow that hit the already swollen cheek. Rei stumbled and swung blindly. Somehow, the wooden sword made solid contact with Minako's nose and she felt a hot gush of liquid down her face.

She backed up, suddenly noticing that Rei didn't seem to be looking at her. Rather the amethyst eyes were glazed and staring straight ahead. _She's not really seeing me,_ Minako thought worriedly. "Rei?" No response. She dropped the point of her sword, watching the other girl in concern. Rei lunged again and she couldn't raise her sword in time. She was knocked flat and the air rushed out of her lungs. Rei dropped on top of her, pinning her, then raised her sword for a finishing blow. _She's really going to do it, _she thought dazedly as blood from her nose ran down the sides of her face and her throat. She closed her eyes and grimaced, bracing herself.

"Mina?"

She opened her eyes slowly and found soft amethyst eyes watching her. The weight lifter from her chest as Rei shifted to kneel beside her and help her sit up. She couched and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Rei? Are you alright?"

"Me!" Rei snapped, clearly agitated. Minako turned slightly to crawl into her lap and rest her head against the leather-clad chest. "Are You ok? I didn't realize I hit you that hard."

Her voice was laced with guilt and Minako couldn't help but smile. "I'll be fine," she said with a weak chuckle. "But next time you're mad at us, maybe we could talk about it instead?" She hung her head and cradled the blond in her arms. Minako sighed contentedly and cuddled closer.

"HOW MANY TIMES!" Luna screeched as she ran up to them, causing both girls to flinch. "EVEN WITH PRACTICE BLADES?" Her sputters became incoherent.

Ami knelt on the other side, checking her nose carefully. "It's not broken," she informed the blond. "And you should put some ice on that eye," she added giving the Martian an exasperated glare. Makoto approached them cautiously as Minako allowed Rei to help her to her feet.

"Sorry," Rei mumbled, not looking at any of them.

"Me too," Makoto said as she clapped her on the back. "Nothing like beating the shit out of each other to get over an argument."

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you about Serenity," Ami offered. "I think, with everything else that was going on, we just forgot."

Rei shrugged and smiled timidly at them. Minako started to smile but stopped as the blood she'd swallowed tried to make it's way back up. She doubled over, but not before she caught the smirk on Rei's face. "I think we should probably stop by the infirmary."


	19. The War Begins

A/N: Hello everyone! I know a lot of you are wondering when the girls are going to get their powers and the answer is soon! But not yet. When they do, you'll understand why I've waited so long. :) Also, just to clear up any confusion from the last chapter, what Makoto thought she saw was not what actually happened. You'll see... And as always, thank you to everyone reading, especially those taking the time to review. I appreciate any and all feedback. Alright, enough of my ranting and on with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Ami-

-1 Ami sat in the quiet common room, concentrating on the small devices in front of her. Her computer and tools were spread haphazardly across the table. She heard the door open but didn't turn since she was intent on soldering a wire into place.

"Where is everyone?" Artemis asked as he jumped onto a clear space of table.

Ami glanced up at him then back to the project in her hands. "Training grounds," she muttered distractedly. She reached into the box by her feet and extracted a small microphone attachment. The box had arrived that afternoon, an order she had placed with the factories at home.

"Training grounds? I thought they'd had enough of that already." He chuckled as he settled onto his paws.

"They're just running the obstacle course." She glanced down and pulled out two halves of a green tinted alloy case. She fitted it carefully around the mass of wires and chips.

"You didn't go?" She shrugged in response. _Obviously not_, she thought in mild irritation as she tried to concentrate on her task. "What are you doing?" In her peripheral she saw him carefully stepping around the mass of tools and parts to get a closer look.

"There!" she said triumphantly as she snapped the halves together and eyed her new creation critically. She held it out for his inspection.

"What is it?" he asked after a moment.

"Well, I was thinking back to when we were on Earth," she explained as she set it with the others, "when we couldn't find Serenity. That could have been any one of us. We need to be able to find each other and communicate at all times." He looked between her and her new device, still not comprehending. Before she could explain further, the door was thrown open forcefully.

Makoto came sprinting in, laughing gleefully. Minako was close behind her, a wicked grin lighting her features. "That'll teach her to mess with us!" Makoto cried, skidding to a halt behind Ami. Minako stopped next to her, panting heavily.

"What did you two do?" Artemis asked nervously. He turned to the doorway as furious footsteps pounded closer. Ami frowned and waited for their fourth to enter.

When she did Ami had to stifle a laugh. Rei was soaking wet and shaking with rage. She looked around wildly then her glare settled on the two soldiers hiding behind her. She stalked forward and Ami stood to intervene.

She held her hand palm out to Rei then turned to face the two girls who were laughing uproariously. "I don't know what's going on, but you two will get away from this table immediately!" she said firmly as she pointed toward the other end of the room.

"But…"

"Ami…"

"Now!" she glared at them both until they took a few timid steps away. "Farther!" They had both stopped laughing and ducked their heads slightly as they shuffled past her and toward the furious Martian.

"Rei, it was only a joke," Minako said with a hesitant smile. Rei scowled deeper and advanced menacingly.

Ami shook her head in amusement as Rei growled and charged them, taking them both out with a flying tackle. They landed in a tangle of limbs on the couch, knocking it over and rolling behind it. "Rei, that's not fair!" she heard Makoto yell breathlessly.

"I'll teach you!" Rei snarled. Their wild laughter and shrieks increased in volume. Ami shared a look with Artemis before they both walked to the fallen couch. She looked over the edge to find that Rei had both girls pinned beneath her and was tickling them mercilessly.

Ami chuckled as she watched them. "I don't know what happened," she commented to Artemis, "but I'm sure they deserve this."

"Hey!" Minako shrieked indignantly. She tried to twist away but only managed to trip over Makoto's prone form. "That's not- We were- Rei! Rei I'm sorry!" she managed between giggles.

Rei narrowed her eyes and, after another minute of torture, sat back on her heels. She smirked as she watched them untangle themselves breathlessly. "Don't ever do that again," she said firmly.

Makoto got unsteadily to her feet and lurched over to stand behind Ami. She was still giggling weakly as she rested her hands on Ami's shoulders. "You missed a good time," she whispered. Ami snorted in amused disbelief.

Minako crawled weakly to the ebony-haired soldier and collapsed in her lap with a grin. "Sorry, love," she said feebly as she wrapped her arms around her waist, "But you know, you kind of deserved it for beating us up earlier."

Rei grunted in disapproval. "Hmm… well…"

There was a giggle from the doorway and Serenity walked over to join them. "What happened? Rei you're all wet!"

Rei scowled and shoved the Venusian off as she got to her feet. Minako sat up and grinned at her. "We pushed her into the pool on the training grounds."

Ami had to laugh at that. They all knew that the rough Martian had a deep dislike of water. "We pulled her out," Makoto added in a wounded tone, "so really she shouldn't be mad. We saved your life!" She pointed a finger accusingly at her over Ami's shoulder.

Serenity shook her head in amusement as she walked past them. Minako and Makoto righted the couch, still grinning madly as Rei huffed and turned away. "Wow, what's all of this?" Serenity called from behind them.

Ami returned to the table, shaking her head at her friends' antics. The others gathered around and she smiled proudly. "They're communicators." Since the alloy could be dyed, she'd color coded them for her comrades. She picked up the pink one and handed it to Serenity.

"They're so pretty!" she squealed as she examined it excitedly. Ami resisted the urge to roll her eyes with great difficulty as she handed the green one to Makoto.

"That's really amazing," Minako murmured as she turned the orange one over in her hands. "You made these?"

"I ordered the parts from home," Ami said shyly, "but yes. Do you like them?"

Rei held her blood red device in her palm and stared at it. "How do they work?"

Ami picked up her light blue one to demonstrate. "You hit this button," she pointed, "and that opens the channel. It's already secure so no one else can listen in. They're all synced with my computer and I installed tracking devices as well in case we get separated. These buttons are coded with each other communicator if you only need to reach one person, and this switch is if you want all of them at once. They work off of…" She stopped herself with a small smile. As proud as she was of her new creations, she knew they wouldn't understand or be interested in the technical aspects. "The cover's are the same type of alloy as my armor so they'll be durable and… waterproof." She bit back a smile as her words brought hastily repressed grins from most of the room. "There's a clip on the back that attaches to a belt or clothing."

"Wow," Makoto breathed. "You're amazing." She slung an arm around her and smiled. "My girl's a genius!" Ami flushed but smiled back.

There was a short buzz of static. "Rei. Come in Rei." Rei looked at the device in her hand then across the room to where Minako had retreated to test hers. "Cool!" she laughed, coming back over. "These are great Ami."

"I thought they might come in handy," she said with a shrug.

Rei nodded slowly, still staring at it. She moved to place it at her hip then stopped with a scowl. "I think I'll put some dry clothes on first," she growled before stalking away. Once they heard her door shut distantly, they allowed themselves to release the laughter they'd been holding in.

-Rei-

A short buzz ripped through the silence. "Rei, come in Rei." Rei turned to glance over her shoulder at the device that was sitting on her nightstand. With an amused shake of her head she got to her feet. Ever since they'd received the things the evening before, Minako had been keeping track of her. She'd checked in before bed, and again at breakfast that morning. Throughout the day, she'd been paging the Martian to various parts of the palace.

She picked it up and stared at it for a moment before sighing heavily and pressing the small orange button. "Yes, Minako?"

There was a pause, then, "Minako to Rei, what's your position? Over."

"I'm in my room, Mina."

"Copy that! Over."

She chuckled and set it back down, then sat on the edge of her bed to wait. A moment later, her door burst open and a blur of blond and yellow launched itself onto her bed. "Hi!"

"Hey," Rei said with a small smile. "What's up?"

Minako grinned and held up her communicator. "Minako to Rei, I-" Rei placed her hand over the machine and raised an eyebrow at the blonde. She giggled and leaned across her to set it on the nightstand. "I just wanted to see what you were doing."

Rei rolled her eyes and leaned back on her elbows. "I was sitting on the floor and watching the fire. Now I'm probably going to go to bed."

"Me too," Minako purred, "At least the bed part…" Her tone made Rei straighten slightly. Cerulean eyes watched her with a mixture of emotions. She reached up and ran a finger down her still swollen cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Rei grunted uneasily.

Minako shifted so she was on her hands and knees, then crawled closer to her. "Good," she breathed as she placed a soft kiss on her lips. Her hands traveled up her arms to her shoulders and gently pushed her down on her back. "Because I'm going to need you in top condition."

She opened her mouth to comment, but soft lips crashed into hers before she could form any words. She ran her hands up her lean back, pulling the blonde closer as their kisses became more heated. She felt Minako's hands tug at the rough material of her shirt and gasped slightly as they found their way underneath and traveled up her sides.

With a soft growl, she shifted and rolled so she was on top of the other girl. Minako whimpered slightly as she kissed down her neck and sucked on her pulse point. She grazed her nails lightly up Rei's back under her shirt, causing a shiver of pleasure. Then she moved and grasped the bottom edge of her own shirt and started to pull it up.

Rei pulled back and placed her hand on top of the slightly smaller one. "Are you sure?" she breathed, studying her lover's face.

Minako looked up at her with clear cerulean eyes and smiled softly. Her golden hair was fanned out on the pillow, framing her perfect face. "Yes," she whispered. "You're the one I want."

Rei smiled and reached down to help remove the soft top. Her breath caught slightly as she gazed down at the perfect body beneath her. "You're beautiful," she sighed, lowering her head to place soft kisses down her collarbone to her breasts and stomach. She lingered on the long scar that ran from one hip bone to the other, running her tongue along it before kissing her way back up. Minako moaned and grasped the back of her shirt, pulling it up. Sitting back, Rei whipped it off and tossed it carelessly to the floor.

Rei leaned up for another searing kiss as hands roamed over her upper body. She trailed a hand down the toned stomach to the waistband of Minako's shorts, then stopped. She searched her face for any hint of reservation, but found only love and want. Minako wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed her passionately. She gasped against Rei's mouth as a calloused hand found more sensitive places. Tonight, she would finally claim Minako as her own.

-Minako-

Minako woke feeling completely at peace. Rei's naked body was pressed tightly against her back and one of her arms was wrapped around her waist. She could feel hot breath on the back of her neck and smiled, cuddling closer. _I never knew she could be so gentle, _she thought as she traced a line of muscle along her forearm. _Or so passionate, _she added smiling wider.

A soft kiss was pressed against her shoulder and the arm around her tightened slightly. "You're awake," Rei mumbled into her hair.

"Mmm, you too." Minako turned in her lover's arms so they were facing each other. Amethyst eyes watched her and a rough hand trailed down her bare back. "I love the way your hands feel."

Rei smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth. She didn't seem tired and Minako wondered how long she'd been awake. She brushed dark bangs out of her face and studied her. _She's so gorgeous and amazing_, she thought as she ran her fingers up her spine and around her shoulder. Her fingers grazed over the lump of scar tissue on the edge of her shoulder blade. _However much time we have left, _she thought, _I want to spend every night until then like this._

She pushed her onto her back and crawled closer so she could rest her head on her chest. She traced the lines of Rei's stomach with one hand and Rei sighed contentedly, running fingers through her hair.

A buzz made them both jump. "Rei, wake up. It's Ami."

Minako sighed heavily and Rei growled in incoherent irritation. Minako sat up and fumbled for the communicator beside the bed. Rei snatched it from her hand and pushed the button. "What?" she snarled.

"Sorry to wake you up, but this is important. Come over to my room right away. If Minako's with you, bring her too."

Rei grumbled assent and sat up, looking around half-heartedly. She started to swing her legs off the bed, then stopped in distress. "What's wrong love?" Minako asked as she stood up and stretched.

Rei stared, transfixed and Minako felt a shiver of delight at the way the amethyst eyes raked over her body. "I can't-" she stopped when her voice cracked, and blushed cutely. "Where'd my clothes go?" she practically whimpered.

Minako resisted the urge to laugh at how shy she still was. Taking pity on her, she picked her black sleeveless shirt from the floor and handed it over. She smiled wickedly as the Martian's gaze lingered on her breasts. She leaned closer and licked the edge of her ear, causing a satisfying yelp. "The rest of it's in your bed," she purred.

Rei breathed in sharply and promptly began a frenzied search of the black and crimson bed covers. After a few hectic moments she found her black pants, hurriedly pulled them on and stood up. Minako raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you going to get mine? Or should I just go over like this," she teased.

Rei paused with her shirt half way on and shot her a look. She giggled and shook her head, extracting the yellow tank top and shorts from the blankets. She dressed quickly and kissed her flustered lover's cheek. Then she reached down and twined their fingers together to lead her into the next room.

They entered to find Ami sitting on her bed, typing rapidly on her computer. Makoto was pacing the room in agitation but stopped at the sight of them. Minako frowned when she caught sight of the taller girl's expression. "What's happened?" she asked.

"The Princess?" Rei demanded immediately, stiffening beside her.

Makoto scowled then glanced at Ami. "I'm going to go wake her up," she growled before stomping out of the room.

"It's the middle of the… night…" Ami trailed off as her footsteps faded down the hall. She sighed and looked up at Minako. "You remember the Queen telling us that during their visit to Earth, the scientists from Mercury did scans of the planet?" Minako nodded mutely. "They set up scans of the other planets as well, just to monitor the threat and such. I tapped into the databases they've been compiling and the most recent data suggests-"

"What's wrong?" Serenity panted as she burst into the room. Makoto stepped in behind her and closed the door, then leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. The Princess looked around wildly as though expecting something to leap from the shadows.

Ami cleared her throat. "As I was saying, the scientists of Mercury have been scanning the other planets for signs of increased threats. The idea is to scan for the dark energy signatures that are associated with the shadow creatures that were found on Earth. There have apparently been massive concentrations of this energy reporting on the scans for the last several hours on Jupiter."

Minako glanced at Makoto then back at Ami. "Does that mean the creatures are there?"

Ami typed something into her computer and nodded. "Definitely. The scans are picking up signatures outside the three largest cities. Every new report is showing increases in the energy."

"What should we do?" Serenity whispered fearfully. She stared around the room wide eyed.

"Do the Jovians know they're about to be attacked?" Rei asked quietly. Makoto shook her head slowly. "Then we should go," she said simply.

"We can't just leave the palace in the middle of the night," Minako pointed out uneasily. "We need to find the Queen and tell her what's going on."

"There isn't time for that," Makoto growled. She pushed away from the wall and faced the shorter girl. Minako felt Rei tense beside her.

"We don't have a lot of choice," Ami cut in, "We don't have a way to get there." Everyone was silent for a moment as they considered.

"We could take one of the courier transports," Serenity said in a small voice. The guards turned to stare incredulously at her. She shrugged and smiled timidly at them. "They're the fastest ships we have."

"We can't leave without telling anyone again," Minako said firmly. "Remember what Luna and Artemis told us?" She gazed meaningfully at Ami, who nodded brusquely.

Serenity narrowed her eyes and looked between them. "I'm going with you," she stated firmly. Minako sighed inwardly. She didn't like the idea of dragging the Princess to a foreign planet, especially one that was likely a war zone.

Makoto growled and pounded a fist against the wall. "We're wasting time!"

Ami closed her computer and stood up, keeping her gaze fixed on Minako. "If we're going to do something, we have to do it now. The reports indicate that they'll be within attack range of the outermost city in a few hours."

Minako looked back at Rei, raising her eyebrows in question. "I'll follow your lead," she said gruffly.

Minako nodded once and turned back to the room. She looked Serenity up and down, deliberating. "We're about the same size, right?" The Princess nodded mutely to the seemingly random question. "Alright, come with me. Everyone else, get your royal armor on and weapons together. Meet back here in five minutes." She turned on her heel and heard the hasty footsteps of her orders being followed.

When she reached her room, she changed out of her pajamas and into the white clothes of her uniform. Serenity was standing uncertainly in the doorway, gazing at the floor. "Put this on," she ordered, tossing a spare set to her. She buckled on her golden plate armor as quickly as she could, then turned back to the Princess.

Serenity's eyes were wide as she stared at the clothing in her hands. "Princess," Minako said through clenched teeth, "If you want to come with us, you need to hurry up and get changed." She swallowed visibly and shakily started exchanging her pajamas for the uniform. Minako turned away to dig through her closet. Serenity's eyes were filled with tears when she looked back at her and Minako regretted her harsh tone.

"Sorry, Serenity," she said more gently. She pulled her studded leather armor out and held it up. "I need you to put this on," she said as she handed it over. "Our priority is still to keep you safe." Serenity nodded and started to pull the jerkin over her head.

"Do you think that'll be enough protection?" Rei stood in the doorway, dressed and armed, staring at her.

"It'll have to do," Minako said shortly. She turned away to fasten on her cloak, trying not to be bothered by the way Serenity had instantly relaxed at Rei's presence. Ever since Makoto had implied that the Princess and Rei had some special type of bond, the idea had been haunting her. She turned back to find Rei expertly cinching the straps of the armor, dark eyes narrowed in concentration. _I don't have any reason to be jealous,_ she reminded herself, thinking back to only a few hours before. She smiled softly at the memory.

"Is it supposed to be that tight?" Serenity whined, bringing Minako's attention back to them.

"Yes," Rei snapped, buckling down the last strap. Minako bit back a smile. Rei stepped back and looked her over. "It's just a precaution anyway. Here," she added, producing Serenity's blue travel cloak. The white crescent moon in it's center stood out brightly in the half light. Wordlessly, she clasped it around the smaller girl's shoulders.

Minako sheathed her scimitar and snapped her chain onto her belt. "My communicator's still in your room," she said to Rei, who had already started to walk out.

"I'll get it," she said over her shoulder.

Serenity stared at Rei's back until she disappeared and Minako steeled herself as the other blonde turned back to her. They stared at each other for a long moment before Serenity sighed softly and dropped her gaze. "We should get back to Ami's room," she said quietly.

"Everyone ready?" Minako asked as she strode in. Makoto nodded once, her eyes hard. Ami mumbled assent as she snapped her computer bag shut and slung it over her shoulder.

"Does everyone have their communicators?" Ami asked, once Rei had returned. There were assorted nods and all eyes turned back to Minako. "We should leave a note or something," Ami added softly.

"Let's head to the port. If we don't see anyone on the way, we'll leave word with the gate guards." Minako looked over everyone once more before heading out the door.

She tried to keep her pace at a brisk walk as she led them through the twisting corridors of the palace. They met several bleary-eyed servants and a few guards, but no one challenged them. At the front doors, however, a voice brought them to a screeching halt.

"And where are you off to at this time of night?" Minako turned slowly and looked down at the two cats watching them suspiciously. "You're not going out to the pubs again, are you?" Artemis asked, tilting his head.

"No, they're wearing their armor and carrying their weapons," Luna pointed out. "Which makes me think that they're planning on going a little farther than that." She gave them a beady stare.

A hundred excuses ran through Minako's head, each as feeble as the next. She opened her mouth and closed it again, lost for words.

"Jupiter is about to be attacked," Rei snapped, drawing their attention. "We're going to warn them. You should probably inform the Queen so she can send reinforcements as soon as possible."

"Are you sure?" Artemis demanded, his entire demeanor instantly changing. Rei nodded once. He shot Luna a quick look and she turned and sprinted away up the main staircase. He sighed heavily as he turned back to them. "What exactly are you planning to do?"

"We're going to the royal city to warn my mother," Makoto answered. "If she can mobilize the army in time…" She trailed off and Ami picked up the thread immediately.

"We'll go straight to the palace, inform the Queen, and come back," Ami assured him. "Makoto knows where to go so we can avoid trouble."

That, Minako knew, would be the selling point. The Jovians were rarely involved with the other planets, which meant only a handful of people on the Moon knew anything about their royal city. The only way they could warn them in time would be if Makoto led them to the Queen. She could tell by his expression that Artemis was thinking the same thing.

"Well, we can send some of the palace guards with Makoto, but the rest of you-" he began, but wasn't allowed to finish.

"I'm going wherever she goes," Ami insisted fiercely. He actually took a step back from her, his eyes widening slightly. Rei crossed her arms and stared down at him, as though daring him to argue.

"I think it would be good for the people there to see all of us, that way they know that we meant what we said at the council meeting. I don't want the people of Jupiter to think the Moon has abandoned them, like Uranus and Neptune." Serenity's soft words were met by a long silence.

Finally Artemis sighed again. "Can one of you fly the courier transport?" Ami nodded and he sighed again. "We'll send reinforcements as soon as possible, but as soon as you speak to the Queen I want you to return here. Remember what I told you before, I don't want anything to happen to you." With that, he turned and shot down the hall and out of sight.

Minako looked briefly at each of her comrades, smiling at their determined expressions. "Alright, let's go."


	20. Jupiter Part One

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Makoto-

-1 Makoto glanced out the window for what felt like the millionth time. The blackness outside hadn't changed in the slightest for the last seven hours. She knew they'd gotten lucky with the timing of the attack. At a different time of year, Jupiter's orbit would have placed it much farther out of reach. At least this way there was a chance they could reach them in time.

She let her gaze travel aimlessly around the room. The craft was small and cramped, with two short bench seats facing each other behind the pilot's chair. Serenity was squeezed next to her and had been sound asleep for the majority of the trip. She was snoring softly with her forehead resting against the frame of the ship. Minako had tried to stay awake, but had finally drifted off an hour before. She was curled into a tight ball in Rei's lap and probably would have fallen to the floor if the Martian hadn't curled a gloved hand around her knees.

She glanced up at Ami, but she'd barely spoken since they'd left the Moon. Apparently piloting the small craft was taking all of her concentration. She'd hooked her computer into the controls and had it resting on her knees. The whole trip had been punctuated by the tapping of keys and buttons, and the occasional muttered curse or comment from the small girl.

Makoto's gaze eventually fell on Rei. Her dark eyes were reflecting the eerie light of the screens in the cockpit. She hadn't moved since Minako had lain down and Makoto wondered idly if her legs were falling asleep. _I wish this thing had an autopilot so that Ami could come back here instead. But I suppose there wouldn't be room,_ she thought ruefully as she gazed at where her knees were almost touching Rei's. _We could always put the Princess on the floor, _she reasoned with a smirk, _she probably wouldn't even wake up. _She chuckled softly and Rei turned to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Sorry," she said quietly, "just thinking."

Rei shrugged and started running her fingers through Minako's hair. "Me too," she replied, so softly that Makoto almost didn't hear her. Their eyes met and a silent understanding seemed to pass between them. Rei offered her a half smile. "Things are going pretty well with you two, huh?" She jerked her head to indicate the front of the craft.

Makoto's smile widened and she leaned her head back against the wall. "You, too."

Rei nodded and looked down at the sleeping blonde. Her smile faltered slightly and Makoto straightened. "What is it?" Rei shook her head, frowning slightly. "Rei?" she leaned forward slightly, willing the Martian to explain even though part of her was afraid to know.

"It's nothing," Rei mumbled, looking away. "Just a feeling."

Makoto cocked her head, but before she could pry further a slight tremor ran through the ship. They both looked around to the front and Makoto's eyes widened slightly. The entire front window was filled with the roiling gray-green colors of her home planet. She smiled at the sight. _I wondered if I would ever see it again…_

"Brace yourselves," Ami's tense voice called back.

A moment later, the craft shook violently and bright orange flames exploded in front of them. Minako jerked and tumbled onto the floor, then struggled to her feet looking panicked. "What happened?" she demanded shakily. Rei caught her arm and pulled her back to her seat.

"We're entering Jupiter's atmosphere," Ami explained as her hands flew over the controls. The turbulence became more intense and everyone had to shield their eyes from the brightness. Makoto gripped the armrests tightly, one arm braced across Serenity. She glanced across the way and saw that Minako had a death grip on Rei's arm and was hiding her face in her shoulder. Rei was impassive as always, one hand holding the armrest, the other on Minako's thigh.

With one last twitch the craft stilled. They broke through the thick cloud cover and finally had their first full view of the surface. The canopy of the trees covered everything as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly there was a grating snore and Serenity jerked beside her. "Are we there yet?" she asked blearily. Makoto stared at her in amazement. _Did she really just sleep through all of that? _

Rei snorted and Makoto found her shaking her head in amusement as she pried Minako from her arm. "We're here," she said softly.

Minako lifted her head and looked around sheepishly. "Sorry," she muttered, "I always hate that part."

"What happened?" Serenity asked, stifling a yawn. Makoto chuckled but no one answered.

"Mako, can you come up here please?" Ami called over her shoulder. She ducked her head and squeezed forward to the small aisle beside the pilot seat. Ami looked tired but focused and she smiled slightly when Makoto placed a hand on her leg. "So I downloaded maps for the area, can you take a look at this and tell me where to land?"

Makoto scanned over the images on the screen, trying to picture the royal city in her mind. "This is where the royal family lives," she indicated several circles, "and there's a clearing about three miles from there where the port is."

"Three miles!" Serenity whined from behind her.

She looked out the window and bit her lip as she studied the thunderheads massed ahead of them. "But from the look of those clouds, it probably won't be open. Our best bet will be here, there's a small landing pad."

Ami glanced down to where she was pointing and frowned as her eyes scanned the land in front of them. "It doesn't look like there's anything there but trees. Are you sure?"

"You'll see," Makoto said cryptically. Trying to hide a grin, she pointed ahead to a ring of blinking lights. She'd forgotten that none of her friends had been to her home planet before. They were in for quite a surprise.

-Ami-

Ami stepped out of the transport and was promptly deluged in water. She shook her hair out of her eyes and looked around with interest. She'd read about the vicious storms on the planet but hadn't expected to ever experience one. She walked to the edge of the small landing pad and glanced down, but immediately regretted it as she was hit with a wave of vertigo. _I also never expected to land a spacecraft in a tree… I guess there's a first time for everything. _

The area they'd landed in was completely invisible from above except for the lights that extended beyond the canopy. They were on a large flat platform that seemed rather precariously balanced between three impossibly wide trees. The area appeared to be deserted.

Makoto leapt out of the transport with a wild cry and Ami turned to watch her. Grinning madly, she threw her arms up and danced around in a small circle. Then she ran to Ami and, before she could more than squeak in protest, picked her up and spun her around.

She set her down with a laugh and raised her face to the pouring rain. "I missed this," she said more calmly. Ami smiled up at her, letting the cool water run down her face for a moment, then looked back to the transport.

"I wasn't expecting to see one of your storms," Ami commented.

Makoto looked up at the sky then back at her. "This is nothing," she said with a grin. "The storm season doesn't start for at least another month." Ami shook her head in amazement.

Serenity and Minako were edging out the door, looking mildly annoyed at the downpour. There was a deafening roar of thunder and both blondes jumped.

They moved closer to Ami, ducking their heads slightly. "Where should we go?" Minako yelled over the staccato of fat raindrops hitting the platform.

Makoto reluctantly drew her gaze back to them. "There's a pathway that leads to the royal chambers over there." She pointed toward one of the trees, then dropped her arm and frowned.

Rei was approaching with her head ducked slightly, shooting vehement glares up at the sky. She was soaking wet and clearly not happy about it.

"Rei, you-"

"Rei, what-"

Serenity and Minako both broke off mid sentence and turned toward each other. Their eyes met for a moment before Serenity dropped her gaze. The Princess took a step back so she was between Makoto and Ami.

Minako turned away sharply and grasped Rei's forearm. She leaned close to the taller girl and whispered something the rest of them couldn't hear. Rei shot one more angry glance at the sky before stepping past the blonde to the others.

Makoto seemed about to comment and Ami elbowed her as discretely as possible. "Um, so… It's this way," she said, clearing her throat uneasily. Now was not the time to get into whatever was going on with the other three. The Jovian led them to an unremarkable part of the tree and stopped, running her fingers along the bark. Then she grinned and tugged. To everyone's amazement, a door swung open to reveal a dimly lit hallway that led into the gigantic tree.

Ami stepped in but stopped dead when two men with staves blocked her path. She had to crane her neck to see them, they both towered at least a foot above her. Makoto stepped up next to her and the men stared. "Princess?" One of them asked hesitantly.

"I need to see my mother immediately," she said urgently.

"This way." The men turned and ran down the treacherous-looking spiral steps. _We're inside the tree, _Ami thought as she stared around in amazement. _When I get home I'm going to have to update my- _She slipped on the wet stairs and would have fallen if not for Makoto catching her arm.

"Careful, baby," she murmured before resuming her descent. Ami forced herself to pay strict attention to the path after that. It wasn't long before they stopped on a small landing and were ushered out a door. They emerged on a rope suspension bridge.

She heard Serenity gasp in alarm behind her and silently agreed with the sentiment as she looked down. The rain had dwindled to trickles, presumably blocked by the many layers of leaves above them. Below them, however, the wide trunks of the trees they were suspended between went down hundreds of feet and disappeared into darkness. She gripped the hand ropes on either side of her and tried to only look straight ahead as she walked across. The bridge creaked ominously and everyone froze.

"It's alright," Makoto called over her shoulder to them, "It's stronger than it looks."

"Where have I heard that before," she heard Rei grumble behind her. Thankfully, Minako shushed her and they made it across without further incident. They struggled up a steep inclining tunnel that cut through the next tree. When they emerged this time, however, they were on a huge wooden plaza surrounded by at least thirty of the enormous trees. There were hundreds of people milling around them, all of them wearing braided leather armor and carrying weapons.

"What's going on?" Makoto asked blankly.

Ami looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The army's mustering. Do you think they've already found the monsters?" She stared around at her people.

Before Ami could form an answer, they were hustled forward by the two guards. "The Queen is in the war room, Princess, go on in."

Ami turned to thank them but they had already melted into the throngs of soldiers. Instead she stayed a step behind Makoto, following her as she shouldered her way through the crowd. She stopped at a small building with an ornately carved door, perched between two trees . The two guards in front of it studied her then stood at stiff attention as they stepped back to allow them entrance.

Inside, there were only a handful of people, all gathered around a large table. They mostly had their backs to them, but Ami realized that several of them were out of place. Instead of the braided leather that was most common for Jovians, they had chain mail over dark clothes. Also, the three broad shouldered figures were significantly shorter than the others in the room. _What are Martians doing here?_ She wondered.

"Mother?" Makoto stepped forward uncertainly, obviously wondering the same thing. The crowd silenced and parted to stare at the intruders. The Jovian Queen paced around the table and stopped in front of them.

"Makoto, what are you doing here?" she asked, staring at her daughter in shock.

"General Phobos?" Ami turned to watch Rei take a cautious step toward them. The three Martians stepped into the light, and Ami realized that the man she was talking to was one of the two generals of the Martian army. "What's going on?"

He grinned and stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Well, Princess, it's been a while."

She smirked up at him. "Why aren't you at home?"

He snorted derisively. "We got tired of waiting for those worthless cowards to-" His expression darkened as his gaze traveled past her and he stepped back, straightening. "I see you've brought some… diplomats."

"Princess Serenity," The Queen inclined her head slightly. "To what do we owe this pleasure? Please tell me your mother didn't send you to try to stop us."

"Stop you?" Serenity echoed blankly. "But we're here to help you…"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Help us?" she repeated. "Excellent! Come, we'll show you what we've worked out so far." The five of them stepped reluctantly closer to the table.

"Mother, we have to tell you-" Makoto tried, but the Queen continued as though she hadn't heard.

"According to the reports from the Mercurians," she paused to shoot a dark look in Ami's direction, "the monsters are somewhere near the palace. We're going to take the full strength of the Jovian army and sweep in from the east here." She pointed down and Ami realized she was looking at a map of the royal city of Earth.

_They're talking about attacking the royal city? _she wondered darkly, _without informing the other planets? _"But you don't understand, the mon-"

"Then from the west here," the Queen said loudly, narrowing her eyes at the interruption. "The Martian army will take the other half of the city and rendezvous here with us. They'll be trapped between the jaws of the two strongest armies in the Empire!" The others in the room cheered.

Ami could see Makoto trying to get her mother's attention, but none of them could be heard over the roar of voices in the small room. The man Rei had called Phobos turned to them as the cheering died down. "So, your Highness, how did your lady mother find out about this? What kind of support is she offering?"

Serenity, however, seemed too shocked to speak. Minako stepped forward and fixed him with a hard glare. "High Queen Serenity has no idea that you're going against the wishes of the council." The room went silent as everyone tensed. "We are here of our own accord because Princess Mercury discovered that you're about to be attacked."

"Attacked? Here?" The Queen asked quickly, looking between her daughter and the blonde she so obviously disliked. "How do you know?"

Minako nodded to her and Ami stepped forward. She pulled her computer from her shoulder bag and opened it on the table. "Please, your Majesty, we don't have much time. My people have been scanning all of the planets of the Empire since the creatures were discovered on Earth-"

"They've what?" the Queen exploded. "The nerve! How dare they do such a thing without our knowledge!"

"Mother!" Makoto shouted, pounding a fist on the table, "If you care about our people at all, forget your prejudice for a moment and listen to her!"

The Queen snapped her mouth shut and stared from her daughter to Ami, who was feeling slightly flustered. "The, um, the reports indicated that when we left the Moon they were about six and a half hours away from the outermost city." She pointed to her map and the others crowded closer to see.

"That's impossible…" she whispered in horror.

"How long ago was that?" Phobos demanded.

"About nine hours ago," Ami said softly. The Queen stepped back sharply and put a hand to her throat. Ami forced herself to continue, but she couldn't bring herself to look at anyone else in the room. "I've projected their most likely routes and, from the data that was collected on Earth, this is roughly the progress they will have made by now." She swallowed heavily and tapped the screen.

The map that she'd created showed the Jovian cities and represented the dark energy as red. She wished now that she'd chosen a different color. It looked like a sheet of blood was spreading across the screen, through the first two cities, and converging on the central one depicted. The one they were in now.

-Minako-

As they were hustled out of the war room, Minako noted distantly that it had stopped raining. The crowds of soldiers were rushing frantically in every direction and she pressed against the edge of a tree to get out of the way. She tried not to think how close the monsters were, or how many of them there might be. Instead she focused on gathering her team together.

They'd been scattered when the panic had started and she tried to stay calm as she glanced around. The tall Jovians completely obscured her view. Makoto spotted her, however, and dragged Ami with her to stand against the rough bark. She was standing on her toes, trying to see over the heads of everyone. "Where's Serenity?" Ami shouted over the din of voices.

Minako shook her head, trying to pick out a spot of blond hair in the sea of brunettes. "There!" Makoto suddenly yelled. She charged forward and returned moments later, tugging the frazzled girl behind her.

Minako felt momentarily relieved, then felt herself starting to panic when she realized that Rei wasn't with them. She started to charge forward blindly and felt Makoto forcibly hold her back. "She'll be okay," the taller girl said close to her ear, "We have to stay with the Princess." Minako looked around desperately, but kept her feet planted.

Suddenly a hand gripped her arm. She turned and nearly cried with relief when Rei gave her a small half smile. She lunged toward her and hugged her tightly, heedless of the frenzied crowds around them. "Are you alright?" she breathed.

Rei pulled back and smirked at her. "Of course. You didn't think I'd leave without you, right?"

Minako chuckled weakly, then pulled the others closer. "We need to get back to the transport." Makoto looked slightly mutinous at this and she placed a hand on the bronze shoulder. "We gave them advance warning and the Lunar army is on the way, there's nothing else we can do here. Remember our duty."

Makoto looked down at the Princess and nodded. "It's this way. Follow me and stay close." She started forward, catching Ami's hand as she went. They formed a human chain with Serenity in the middle and wound their way through the crowds. There were dozens of paths from the plaza and Minako was slightly amazed when their guide charged through without hesitation. They had to stop at the entrance to the tunnel, since it was clogged with people.

Minako pressed a hand against a massive trunk to catch her breath, then drew back sharply. She examined her palm in disgust; it was covered in a sticky brown goop.

Makoto chuckled and she narrowed her eyes at the taller girl. "It's resin," she explained, clearly delighted by Minako's reaction. "It's so that when it rains, it doesn't soak into the wood. It oozes out of the trees and we use it in construction, that way the wood doesn't rot." Minako made a face and wiped her hand on the leg of her pants.

Their path had cleared somewhat and they continued toward their ship. Behind them, people started screaming frantically. Minako looked over her shoulder and slipped, just as they hit the inclining tunnel. She tried to regain her balance, but her feet only stepped into air and she fell the rest of the way. There were assorted yells as she knocked her comrades down and they slid toward the rope bridge. Makoto managed to stop them on the landing just before they shot out onto the rickety construct.

"Sorry," Minako said shakily as she got to her feet. She turned to look back up the tunnel in concern, but only saw the orange glow of the torches at the entrance. _I thought there were people behind us_, she thought as she cocked her head. "I thought I heard-" Another scream echoed down the tunnel, this one much closer.

"Shit, go!" Makoto urged her forward roughly and she found herself in the lead. She gripped the side ropes tightly and moved across as fast as she could, trying to ignore the way it creaked and lurched with every step.

When she reached the other side, she turned on the landing to watch the crossing. Ami was close behind her, eyes fixed firmly ahead. Behind her, Serenity was making much slower progress. She was watching her feet and trembling visibly. "Come on," Minako hissed under her breath. Ami made it across and moved to stand beside her and watch them. Behind the Princess was Makoto and Rei was in the rear.

There was a thunderous crack and Minako wondered if it would start raining again. Suddenly Makoto froze and looked up, her eyes widening in horror. Before either guard could respond, she shoved Serenity forward so she stumbled off the bridge and into them. Minako almost lost her footing but managed to stay standing with Serenity gripped tightly between herself and Ami.

Time seemed to slow down as Minako watched the scene unfold, even though it only took an instant. After she'd shoved Serenity, Makoto threw herself backward. She slammed into Rei and knocked them both to the floorboards. Something huge and flaming fell in front of the door, cutting them off. _A branch_, Minako's brain said as she numbly watched it snap through first one sideline, then the other. When the gigantic branch hit the floorboards, it fell to one side, twisting the entire bridge with it. Distantly she heard screaming.

Then time returned to normal and she realized the Princess was shrieking in panic and pointing to the bridge. Makoto and Rei were on their hands and knees, clinging to the floorboards desperately. Ami gripped Serenity tightly and pulled her back, trying to quietly calm her. "Come on!" Minako screamed, getting onto her knees to stay level with them. "Just crawl forward, don't look down!" They started forward slowly and the remains of the bridge lurched violently. Both guards flattened close to the wood until the swaying stopped. Makoto reached forward and gripped a board, using it to pull herself closer but keeping her body pressed against the wood. It wobbled again, but not as badly.

Minako chanced a glance up and gasped softly. The canopy above them was on fire. It seemed to be spreading from the area they'd just left. Minako connected the screams, the glowing and lack of people behind them. "How did they get in this far so fast?" she whispered, watching the achingly slow progress of the other two.

She could almost reach Makoto's hand when something behind them caught her eye. The tunnel, which had been glowing a dull orange, suddenly went black. _There's something there_, she realized. "Come on, Makoto," she breathed. As soon as she was within reach, they grabbed her hands and dragged her all the way onto the landing. She got to her knees, panting heavily, and turned to face Rei as well.

The Martian pulled herself closer, but there was still almost a full body length between their fingers. Between the crackling flames above them and the distant screaming echoing through the trees, Minako almost missed Makoto's soft exclamation.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," she breathed. Minako forced her gaze away from Rei's face, to the opening behind her and nearly screamed.

A shadow creature was rising up in the doorway. It was slightly smaller than the last one they'd seen. But considering Rei's position, it was just as deadly. She was pulling herself doggedly on, apparently unaware of what was looming behind her. The creature braced it's hands on the frame of the tunnel opening and the wood under it's grip immediately began to smoke. A sharp click behind her made her turn her head. Ami had readied her rifle and was bringing it up to her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Minako growled, scrambling to her feet. "What if you knock the bridge loose?"

"If that thing get's on the bridge, it's going to burn right through it," Ami snapped, shaking her off. "Which do you think is more likely to end well?"

Choking back a sob, Minako dropped down again. "Come on Rei, don't look back," she pleaded, keeping her gaze locked on her face. Embers and ash were raining down on them now, covering Rei's hair and back in dusty gray. She wondered if any of them were burning her. _At least we're all still soaking wet from before,_ she reminded herself, _don't think about it now._

Their fingers were less than two feet apart when the creature took a step forward. There was a deafening blast as Ami fired at the creature a second too late to stop it from touching the bridge. It fell forward and grazed the edge, burning through the rope as it slid into the darkness below. The bridge tilted alarmingly and the remaining rope anchoring it on the back side creaked.

"Hold on!" Minako screamed as she frantically uncoiled her chain. Automatically, she wrapped two lengths around her fist and swung the other end toward Rei. The Martian let go with one hand so she could reach out and catch it. She twisted it around her wrist several times and gripped it tightly. The remaining rope finally failed under Rei's weight and the back of the bridge dropped.

Minako felt arms wrap around her waist and she gripped the chain with both hands. She heard Rei hit the side of the tree a second before she was jerked forward by the weight on the other end of the chain. Her feet struggled to find purchase as she tugged backward. Makoto grunted in her ear as she pulled backward on her. At her feet, Ami was down on her stomach, hanging over the edge of the doorway.

Minako's whole body was shaking and she could feel the chain cutting into her hands, but suddenly the weight on it's other end lessened. She fell back against Makoto and they both nearly fell to the ground. She couldn't speak, could barely breath, as she saw Ami struggling back from the edge.

Then the edge of scarred knuckles and familiar black gauntlets appeared, gripping Ami's arm tightly. With a strangled cry, Minako rushed forward and helped drag them back to safety. With a mighty wrench, Minako pulled Rei the rest of the way up. She fell backwards and the Martian fell on top of her.

Rei's whole body was shaking with adrenaline and Minako held her tightly, touching her face, her hair. For the moment, she just needed to feel the solid body, to know that she was alright.

"Everyone okay?" Ami asked in a choked voice. Rei pushed herself unsteadily to her knees and nodded. Minako sat up and looked back at the tunnel across from them. Two more of the creatures were in the entrance, looking for a way to cross.

"Let's get back to the transport," she advised as she scrambled to her feet. No one spoke as they ascended the spiraling stairs and emerged onto the landing platform. It was completely unrecognizable. Instead of the lush green plant life, an inferno raged around them. The flames licked at the edges of the platform and they could feel the wood trembling beneath their feet. The five of them sprinted onto the transport and Ami hurriedly punched in the coordinates, even before the door was closed.

"I don't understand how that happened," Serenity panted, once she'd taken her seat. Minako ignored her and sat heavily opposite her, pulling Rei down and wrapping her arms around her.

"It's because of the resin," Makoto growled as she sat. "Even though it rained, the water didn't soak into the wood."

"But how did they get there so fast?" Serenity asked. She wiped her face on her sleeve, leaving a streak of soot across her forehead. No one had an answer.

Rei leaned across Minako, resting her head on her gold-plated chest. The shivers were only occasional now and Minako absently brushed ashes from her hair as she held her close. The transport shook slightly as they took off, and Minako couldn't help but watch out the window as they pulled away. There were numerous fires, all were spreading quickly and instead of the green they'd seen on the arrival, everything was brown and orange and black.

She glanced to Makoto, who was staring at her hands. Then at Serenity, who was watching Rei with concerned eyes. She felt herself bristle, especially when the Martian sat up again. "I'm okay, Serenity," Rei said softly, even as she twined her fingers of one hand with Minako's. The Princess smiled at her then contented herself with looking out the window. Minako laid her head on Rei's armored shoulder and she felt her place a gentle kiss on her forehead. _I almost lost her again, _she thought darkly. _At least it wasn't me that almost got her killed._

But then she looked across at the blonde looking out the window. _That's how it's supposed to be, _she reminded herself as she cuddled closer. She wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.


	21. Jupiter Part Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Rei-

-1 We're approaching the main Lunar carrier," Ami informed them over her shoulder. Rei leaned forward slightly to look out the front window. The massive craft was drifting just in front of them. Occasionally, smaller crafts could be seen launching from it and toward Jupiter. She sat back and gently nudged Minako awake.

The blond lifted her head from Rei's shoulder and blinked slowly. "Where are we?"

"Just passing the orbit of Mars. We don't have enough fuel to reach the Moon," Ami called back. "I radioed ahead to the carrier and we're cleared for landing. If we can we'll refuel there, or else we'll just ride back with them."

Minako nodded and laid her head down again. Rei rested her cheek against her hair briefly, then looked across at their two silent companions. Makoto hadn't spoken since they'd left, and two thin trails of tears cut through the soot on her face. She turned her gaze to Serenity and found the Princess watching her. Their eyes met for a moment then the blonde blushed and looked away.

Rei frowned slightly as Minako shifted to sit up straight again. Something was clearly going on between the two, but Rei had no idea what. She sighed softly and returned her gaze to the front of the craft. Ami guided them into one of the airlocks and the craft landed with a small shudder.

She flipped a few more switches and disconnected her computer before groaning and standing up. "We're here," she announced, stepping out the door. The others followed quietly. After the destruction they'd just witnessed, it seemed that no one felt like talking.

"Princess! Are you all alright?" Artemis hurried over to them, taking in their tired and soot-stained faces. Haruka and Michiru were close on his heels. Serenity nodded and tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"We'll show you to the sleeping quarters," Haruka offered, holding out an arm to Serenity. She took it gratefully and the four guards followed behind. They went down a long corridor with dozens of doors leading to different parts of the ship before they turned down a smaller side hall. "There are beds and showers down here." She gestured vaguely before turning back the way they'd come.

"You all can get cleaned up and rest, if you'd like," Artemis informed them. "When you're feeling up to it, come up to the bridge."

Once they were alone in the hall, Ami was the first to speak. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I need to get out of this armor." She turned to Makoto and caught her hand, leading her toward one of the identical doors.

Rei looked at Serenity and Minako, who were standing on either side of her and pointedly looking away from each other. She sighed heavily. "Let's just see what's here," she growled, starting forward. She bypassed the first door where the other two had disappeared, and tried the next one. It contained a sink and twin-sized bunk beds. She backed up and tried a few more, eventually finding a larger room with bench seats and a table full of food.

"I wouldn't mind eating a little something," Serenity said in a small voice. Rei glanced down at her. Her wide blue eyes stared into the room and she licked her lips in anticipation.

"That's fine, Serenity," she said with an indulgent chuckle. "I'm going to find those showers Haruka mentioned, then I'll meet you back here." She nodded and charged into the room. Rei backed up and glanced at Minako. She was watching the Princess with her eyes narrowed. "So what's going on with you two?" Rei asked as she started toward the next door.

"What do you mean?" Minako asked sharply, not looking at her. They tried another door and found a blessedly empty shower room.

Rei stepped in and immediately started stripping off her armor. "Do you think they have spare clothes around here somewhere? I haven't been dry in hours," she indicated the grimy black pants and shirt.

Minako turned to a row of cupboards and started rooting through them. Eventually she found two towels and two sets of clean, white outfits. She set them on the edge of a sink and turned back to Rei. "What do you mean?" she repeated. She started unbuckling her cloak and armor, but didn't take her eyes from the Martian.

"I mean, you two don't seem to be getting along that well lately." Rei tried to make the statement sound casual as she sat to pull off her boots. "Did something happen?"

"No," Minako said slowly, "I guess we're just too much alike sometimes." Rei turned toward her in confusion, but her voice stopped working as Minako approached her completely naked. "We want the same thing sometimes," she murmured, pulling Rei to her feet and slipping her shirt over her head. "But what I want is right here," she whispered in her ear.

Rei trembled slightly as Minako unbuttoned her pants and dropped them to the floor. "And what is that?" Rei asked hoarsely. She allowed the blonde to lead her to the furthest shower stall, and stared at her back as she leaned in to turn the water on.

"I'll show you," Minako purred, leaning up to kiss her and pull her into the stall.

-Ami-

Ami sat on the edge of the bed, typing as quietly as she could. Makoto was stretched on her back on the small cot, sound asleep. She'd tapped into the scan again and had downloaded all the information from the last twelve hours. None of it was making sense. With a heavy sigh, she closed the computer with a soft snap.

"What's wrong, baby?" Makoto murmured sleepily. She curled forward slightly and wrapped her arms around her waist. Ami looked down and stroked her forearm with her fingers.

She didn't want to get into the information, or lack there-of, at the moment. Instead she settled on a safer subject. "You're filthy," she giggled quietly, tracing a line of soot with her finger.

"You too," Makoto grumbled, sitting up. "Haruka said there were showers somewhere, do you want to go find them?"

Ami looked guiltily at the bed they'd claimed. The pristine sheets were streaked with black and the armor they'd shed earlier had dripped dark muddy water onto the white floor. "We should probably rinse off our armor, too." They bundled everything together and made their way down the hall. Ami counted the doors and stopped at the fifth one.

"How do you know which one is which?" Makoto asked in amazement as she followed her into the steam filled room.

"This ship is Mercurian design, just like the courier ships," Ami answered distractedly. "The first three doors on the right and first four on the left are always cabins, fourth on the right is dining." She set her armor down on a bench and started toward the cupboards along the wall. "Fifth on the right is a locker room and fifth on the left is utilities." She opened a cupboard and selected pants and shirts in both their sizes. As an afterthought, she pulled out a set for Serenity too. She retrieved three towels from another cupboard and stacked them on a bench.

When she glanced in the mirror, she realized that Makoto was staring at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking," she said softly. "Your planet is so advanced compared to the others, but the only other people who seem to use your technology are the ones of the Moon Kingdom."

"Even if my people were willing to work with the other planets, they wouldn't accept it," she said sadly. Her mind cast back to the Jovian Queen's outrage that Mercurian technology was being used on her planet.

"It's too bad," she replied rather wistfully. "If my people and the Martians had been willing to work with you guys, all of this could have been avoided. We could have sent them a message instead of wasting all that time traveling there. Maybe we could have saved them…"

Ami stepped closer to the taller girl and wrapped her arms around her. "Don't think like that, we haven't lost yet." Makoto held her close for a moment, then stiffened.

"Ami," she whispered, her expression suddenly gleeful, "Look over there." Ami looked behind her to where Makoto was focused, and immediately had to cover her mouth to stifle a laugh. Black and gold armor was strewn along the far bench, and muddy clothes were thrown haphazardly beside it.

"Minako and Rei are in here," she squeaked, blushing. "We should wait until they're, um… done."

Before they could move, however, they heard the water shut off and a very familiar giggle. A moment later, Minako came bounding around the corner. She was naked and dripping with water and Ami averted her eyes quickly. "Hey guys," she said happily, blissfully uncaring about her current state of undress. "Forgot my towel!" She picked up two towels and skipped back the way she came.

"I will never get used to Venusian immodesty," Ami breathed. Makoto chuckled and Ami elbowed her warningly.

A few minutes later, Rei appeared. She blushed darkly and tightened the towel wrapped around her as she approached them. Silently, she picked up a set of white clothes that had been on the edge of the sink and stalked past them to change.

Minako reappeared, thankfully covered with a towel this time, and grinned at them. She picked up her set of clothes and glanced around. "Where'd she go?" Makoto chuckled and jerked a thumb over her shoulder. Minako's grin widened and she skipped past them. "Reiko," she called in a singsong voice, "Where'd my shy little Martian go?"

Ami and Makoto both burst out laughing at that. From the depths of the other end of the room, they heard a strangled growl and a tinkling laugh. Shaking her head, Ami turned back toward the showers. "Those two…"

"Here's where everyone went!" Serenity appeared in the doorway, smiling brightly at them.

"Here you go, Serenity," Makoto said, handing over the towel and clean clothes with a flourish. "You're as filthy as the rest of us." Serenity pouted at her and started toward the showers with a small smile.

"Lets hurry up," Ami said softly. "After this I definitely want to go to bed for a while." Makoto winked at her and sprinted toward the showers, throwing her clothes off as she went.

-Minako-

Minako sat on a bench and toweled off her hair as she watched Rei. She was standing a short distance away wearing white pants and no shirt. Minako let her eyes wander over her lean back and muscular shoulders, smiling softly to herself. Rei growled and threw the shirt on the bench, stalking away and returning with her sword belt.

Minako paused with her towel held to her head, watching the Martian fussing with her back to her. There was a loud ripping sound and Minako jumped to her feet. "What are you doing?" She walked around her and found that she held the shirt in one hand and her knife in the other. Without responding, she held the white material in her teeth and sliced through it.

"I don't like sleeves," she muttered as she spit out the offending piece of cloth. She slipped the now sleeveless shirt over her head and buckled on her sword belt. She sheathed her knife carefully, then looked down at the startled blonde.

Minako couldn't help but laugh. Every shirt the Martian owned had been altered the same way. "I know you don't but…" she stared ruefully at the mangled white material on the floor. Without warning, Rei shook her head violently, spraying the blonde with water. "Ugh, Rei!"

Rei chuckled and Minako punched her arm lightly. "Sorry," she said unconvincingly, smirking down at her.

Minako stepped closer to her and leaned up to kiss her, at the same time slipping her knife out of it's sheath. She stepped back and dodged quickly as Rei made a grab for it. "I just need to borrow it for a second," she giggled, picking up one of the discarded sleeves. Rei huffed and crossed her arms. She smiled and cut the cloth in a spiral until it was one long strip, then cut it in half.

Rei narrowed her eyes but Minako just pressed against her and kissed her neck softly as she put the weapon back. "What the hell are you doing?" Rei growled. Minako's smile widened when she heard the slight waver in her lover's voice.

"You'll see," she teased lightly. She took one of the strips and reached around to tie the raven hair into a short ponytail at the base of her skull. Then she tied her own hair into a longer one and grinned. "There," she said triumphantly. Rei eyed herself uncertainly in the mirror. "Just in case you feel the urge to 'accidentally' shake water all over me again!" she mimed quotes in the air for emphasis.

Rei shook her head and smiled, then caught her hand, twining their fingers together. She smiled and allowed the Martian to lead her out of the changing room. "Are you hungry?" Rei asked as she paused in the hallway.

Minako considered. They'd been so busy she hadn't really thought about it. "Definitely," she said after a moment. "I don't think I've eaten since dinner yesterday." They wandered into the dining room and ate quietly, each lost in their own thoughts.

It was some time later, after they'd been drowsing on the bench for a while, that they were disturbed. "Rei? Minako?" Her head shot up as Serenity's voice brought her fully awake. She was standing uncertainly in the doorway watching them.

"Yes?" Minako said a little stiffly. Rei shot her a curious look and she cursed herself inwardly. "What's up, Serenity?" She forced her voice to sound more cheerful.

"We're heading up to the bridge to talk to Artemis," Serenity answered, taking a few steps closer. "Do you want to come?"

Rei stood immediately and strode forward. "Of course, thank you for letting us know." Minako scowled at their retreating backs and jogged a few steps to catch up.

The three walked in silence until they reached the bridge. Makoto was standing stiffly by one of the large windows. Apparently they'd reached Jupiter while they'd been resting. Minako glanced out in the direction Makoto was staring. Even from this distance, she could see the patches of black swirling with gray clouds that covered the surface. Ami was talking to several officers as she was hooking her computer into the carrier's system.

Haruka approached them when they emerged on the bustling deck. She strode forward and clapped a hand on Rei's shoulder. "I hear you had a close call back there, Mars, I'm glad you're still with us." Rei nodded to her and smirked.

"I've seen them do that before," Serenity whispered to her.

Minako instantly stiffened and her eyes narrowed at the blonde who was now walking with Rei, chatting amiably. "Seen who?" she hissed back. "Doing what?"

Serenity looked sideways at her, then gestured to the pair. "They touch shoulders when they talk to each other. I think it's a Martian version of a handshake or a hug. That general guy on Jupiter did the same thing." Minako cocked her head, then laughed at herself. _I'm being ridiculous, there's nothing to worry about._

"I think you're right," she whispered. "Their people aren't big on contact, but a mercenary we talked to on Earth did the same thing."

"I wonder how Princess Haruka knows to do that?" Serenity mused, wandering away after them. Minako tore her eyes away from them and strode toward Ami instead.

"What are you up to?" she asked casually, looking over the smaller girl's shoulder. Ami was fiddling with a mass of wires, muttering to herself and rearranging them. "Hmm, looks complicated," she decided, stepping back.

"It's not really," Ami said without turning, "If you understand the basic principles of…" Minako wandered away quickly. _My head's enough of a mess right now without adding something like That to the mix._

She moved to stand in front of a window and stared out into the vast blackness. "What's up, Venus?" She turned sharply and found Princess Haruka standing next to her.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said stiffly, turning back to the window. "And yourself?" To her irritation, the Princess chuckled lightly and didn't answer. "Is something funny, Princess Uranus?" she asked acidly.

The taller girl jumped slightly. "No," she said quickly, holding up her hands. "Sorry, no it's just…" She seemed to be slightly lost for words so Minako turned to stare at her, narrowing her eyes. "It's just that you don't have anything to worry about."

"What are you implying exactly?" she demanded, drawing on years of training as a Venusian noble.

Haruka gave her a benign smile that deflated her slightly. "I'm talking about Mars. You don't have to worry about her."

Automatically, Minako's eyes drifted over to where Rei was talking quietly with Princess Michiru. "How do you know?" she asked softly, almost to herself.

"Because I know Martians," Haruka explained easily.

"I noticed." It slipped out before Minako could stop it and she felt herself blushing.

"It's okay," she chuckled, completely unbothered. "Mars was allied with my planet for years, so I grew up around their culture. Once they claim someone, that person becomes the most important figure in their life. Martians don't love easily, but they love hard and they're loyal to that one person for the rest of their lives."

"Really?" She'd known Rei for years and yet knew next to nothing about her culture. On Venus people chose a life partner, but most had other lovers besides their primary. Minako herself had never considered taking one besides Rei, but it never occurred to her that the practice wasn't universal.

She considered this and looked back across the room. Rei glanced up and caught her eye, smiling softly at her. Minako smiled back and turned back to Haruka, feeling much better disposed toward her. "Why are you telling me this?"

She shrugged and grinned. "Michiru told me to. I don't know what we're going to do with these broody, stubborn women." She patted Minako on the back and strode toward the aqua haired woman. Minako shook her head in amusement and started after her.

Rei turned when she approached and Minako caught her hand. "How's it going over here?" she whispered, pressing closer to her arm.

Rei stared at her for a moment, her head cocked slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Minako said quickly, drawing back slightly. "Why?" Rei bit her lip and studied her for a moment before shaking her head and turning back to the group. Minako moved to stand slightly behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. She felt Rei place a hand over hers and smiled to herself.

Haruka turned slightly and gave her a surreptitious wink before turning back to whisper to Michiru. Minako silently thanked them.

"Alright, everyone," Ami said loudly, drawing their attention to a large screen. She typed something into her computer and a map popped up. "I've been compiling the data from the scans done on the planet over the last twenty two hours. What you're seeing is a map of the three main cities of Jupiter."

She typed something else and purple dots began appearing around the edges. "These represent the dark energy signatures of the creatures that are invading. This was twenty two hours ago, when we first left the moon. This is sixteen hours ago," The dots began to multiply, until they formed a solid mass, the edges of which were overlapping the outermost parts of the cities. "Now this is an accelerated diagram of the next four hours." The mass of purple converged toward the center of the map until it was completely surrounding the royal city and covering most of the other two.

"At this point, we're already landed and are speaking to the Queen," she continued as she typed in more commands. "Since the Jovians were still unaware of the invasion, I'm going to assume that the creatures were still in their shadow form." Suddenly, the map enlarged so it was only showing the central city, which only had several traces of purple around the edges. She pulled out her stylus and touched her computer screen. A bright blue circle was drawn onto the large map. "This is the plaza we passed through, and this is where things stop making sense."

Minako studied the map carefully then pulled sharply away from Rei to step closer. "What is that in the center?" she asked, frowning. Everyone else drew closer as well. She reached up and traced a finger over the plaza, where faint traces of purple could be seen.

"It's traces of dark energy," Ami responded.

"That's impossible," Makoto said hoarsely. "We walked right through there and didn't see any of those creatures."

"I know," Ami said, typing something else. The image disappeared and was replaced by a different map. "This is the royal city of Earth, during the political talks a couple weeks ago." Purple dots appeared on the map, but only a few and none inside of the city. There were, however, the same faint traces in several sections.

"What part of the city is that?" Minako asked, pointing to the spot with the most smatterings of purple.

A blue circle appeared around it. "This is the royal palace. These," several more circles appeared, "are some pubs and inns in the area. This one is the Trick Pony where you and Rei were." She drew a second circle around another heavy concentration.

"What does this mean?" Haruka asked faintly.

"It get's more confusing," Ami assured them with a smirk. The image switched back to the map of Jupiter. "This is what happened over the next twenty minutes, approximately from the point we left the war room to when we reached the transport."

The faint purple markings milled randomly for a minute, then started brightening. Even as the circles on the edges of the city started moving closer, identical dots began forming in the center and slowly moving outward.

"In fact, watch this." Everyone was silent as she typed feverishly for a moment. The image zoomed in farther, until only the plaza and a short distance past it to the left were showing. "This is where our ship was." An X appeared on the far left. A purple dot started toward the left and suddenly winked out of existence. Several more were close behind it, but stopped where the other one had vanished.

"What happened?" Artemis asked in a choked voice.

"That's the one we killed," Makoto answered slowly. "The bridge went out, that's why those others couldn't follow."

"Keep watching," Ami said darkly. Several at a time, the purple dots closest to the edge faded. Nothing happened for a moment, then the faint purple dots appeared on the other side of where the bridge was marked. Slowly they brightened until they looked just like the rest and continued moving left. Soon, the area under the blue X was covered in purple.

"We barely made it out in time," Serenity squeaked in alarm.

"How did they get over there?" Makoto growled angrily, "The bridge was out!"

"Maybe they changed back into shadows," Minako suggested uneasily. Her eyes were riveted to the point where the bridge had been. She backed up slightly and felt a warm, comforting arm wrap around her waist.

"That would make sense," Ami said thoughtfully. "Then they could have gone down the base of one tree, across the ground, and up the other tree to follow us. Of course, if that is the case, these creatures are infinitely more of a threat than we thought."

"We got lucky," Rei said softly. Minako twisted slightly in her grasp to look at her face. Her amethyst eyes were haunted.

"We're still missing something, though," Makoto pointed out. "We didn't see anything on the plaza when we walked through, not even shadows. Also, these dots that fade down the tree don't look the same as the fractions that were on the plaza before. They were all around us when we walked through, but no one seemed to notice anything."

"How does it look now, Ami?" Serenity asked tentatively. "The Lunar troops have been fighting for a few hours."

Ami zoomed back to show the entire royal city again, then sped it up. As they watched, dozens of the purple dots winked out, but more were pushing in from all sides. For a time, the plaza was cleared almost completely but the dots slowly began to push in again. Minako looked away. It seemed too impersonal to watch it this way. Those innocent purple dots were hellish monsters and every time a space was cleared and covered again, it meant countless lives had been lost.

"I can leave it on the live feed if you think it will help, Artemis," Ami offered quietly. She moved away to stand by Makoto, wrapping her arms around the taller girl and leaning against her.

"That will be fine. We've sent most of the transports to the other cities on the planet to bring the rest of the Jovian army to the war zone." Artemis reluctantly tore his eyes from the screen. "Also, I've sent a couple soldiers in the courier ship to bring word to Mars. Hopefully they'll be able to spare some reinforcements."

"They should have their soldiers ready to move out already," Rei said gruffly. Artemis gave her a questioning look and Minako remembered who else had been on the planet. "The armies of Mars and Jupiter were planning a joint attack on Earth when we arrived."

Artemis nodded, considering. "Well then," he said softly, "hopefully they can get here in time."

-Makoto-

Makoto paced the tiny room restlessly. They had been confined to the carrier for two days, with no word on what was going on beyond the images on Ami's computer. Ami was sitting on the edge of the bottom bunk, watching her. "You should try to sleep, baby," she said softly.

Makoto stopped pacing and dropped her head. "I can't." Her voice sounded hoarse and tired, even to her own ears. She'd spent most of the last two days on the bridge, either staring at the map screen or out the window at her home planet. She sat down heavily next to the smaller girl, resting her arms on her knees and leaning forward. "I just wish we could do something to help. If I could go down there and fight…"

She felt Ami's small hand rubbing her back gently and leaned toward her, burying her face against her neck. "I know sweetie," Ami whispered. She leaned back and pulled Makoto with her so they were laying side by side. She wrapped her arms tightly around her shoulders and held her close.

Makoto blinked back tears and pushed herself up on her elbows to stare down into concerned azure eyes. Slowly she leaned down and kissed her forcefully. At least for a little while, she could find solace in her lover's body…

She woke up to the feeling of fingers running through her hair. She slowly raised her head from where it had been resting on Ami's shoulder. "How long have I been asleep?" she mumbled.

"Six hours or so," Ami answered quietly, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Makoto shrugged and dropped her head back down, running her hand absently along the smaller girl's side. "I'm not really sure," she admitted in a whisper.

There was a short buzz that echoed slightly in the small room. "Minako to Ami, are you awake?"

Ami reached down and retrieved her communicator. "Yes, Minako. What's up?"

"Minako to Ami, is Makoto awake too?"

Ami sighed heavily. "Yes, Minako, we're both awake. What do you need?"

"Minako to Ami, come up to the bridge. Over."

Makoto chuckled weakly as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "She seems cheerful, maybe it's good news."

"Hopefully," Ami said as she put on a stark white shirt. Makoto pulled on a pair of pants and stood to hunt down her shirt and boots. "I think those are mine," Ami giggled as she pointed downward.

Makoto looked down and realized that the bottoms of the pants came halfway up her calves. She grinned sheepishly and quickly traded with her. "I'll be happy when we get our own clothes back," she grumbled good-naturedly.

Once they were both dressed, they made their way up to the bridge. Everyone was gathered around the map screen, quietly watching. Makoto stopped beside Minako and leaned down slightly to whisper to her. "What's going on?"

She grinned and pointed to the screen. "The Martian army arrived three hours ago."

"Three hours?" she exploded quietly. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Minako shrugged, still watching the screen. "I didn't want to bug you until there was something to see."

Makoto's attention snapped to the screen and her eyes widened in amazement. The outer edges of the map had been cleared of purple dots. It looked like the Martian army had split and come in from two different directions to converge on the capital city. One by one, the purple dots were winking out.

She let out a crazed half laugh, half sob and looked around the room. She found Rei watching quietly on Minako's other side and rushed over to hug her tightly. She felt her tense and make a choked sound as she was lifted off the ground. Makoto set the flustered guard down and grinned at her, ignoring the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "They came! Your people came!"

Rei smiled warily, looking ready to bolt if another attempt was made to pick her up. "Of course, we care about your people as much as our own." The soft sincere words only made Makoto cry harder as she turned back to the screen.

They stayed on the bridge for hours, eventually settling on the floor to keep vigil. The four guards sat in a row, leaning against a bank of computers. Makoto had her arm resting across Ami's shoulders and the smaller girl was leaning against her. On her other side, Minako's arm was pressed against hers and Rei had her head resting on Minako's shoulder.

Eventually, Ami slipped down to her lap. Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder and idly traced small circles with her thumb. Minako shifted slightly and she glanced over to find that Rei had leaned back slightly to accommodate the now sleeping blonde. The Martian tightened her arms around the smaller girl resting against her chest, then looked over at her.

The amethyst eyes were unreadable as usual, but she offered a half smile that Makoto returned. They both looked back to the screen and watched as the purple dots disappeared. According to the clock in the corner of the screen, they'd been watching for fifteen hours when the last purple dot disappeared. Everyone who was still awake let out a spontaneous cheer. Ami and Minako jerked awake.

"We did it," Makoto whispered, hugging Ami tightly. She looked over at Rei, who was helping Minako to her feet. Rei caught her eye and shot her a full blown grin, a rare thing for the stoic soldier. She grinned back and stood up, stretching her arms. "Now," she said with a laugh, "I could definitely use a nap."


	22. Going Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Minako-

-1 A static buzz woke Minako out of a sound sleep. "Rei, are you awake?" It was Ami. Minako turned back to the unconscious Martian that she'd been using as a pillow. Amazingly, the sound hadn't woken her. She was on her stomach with her arms curled around her pillow and her raven hair fanned out across her bare shoulders.

She leaned over the edge of the bed and picked up the ruby communicator. "What's up, Ami?" she said quietly.

"Minako? Where's Rei?"

"She's still asleep," Minako responded as softly as she could.

"Really? Oh, um… I hate to wake her up but it's important. They need her in the infirmary."

Minako frowned. "Alright, we'll be there in a minute." She dropped the device onto a pile of clothes and turned back to Rei. She leaned close and kissed her shoulder. "Reiko, wake up."

Rei mumbled something incoherent and twisted to burrow against her. Minako smiled down at her and traced her fingers down her arm. "Come on, baby, we have to get up."

Rei growled softly and opened her eyes a fraction, squinting up at her. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm not sure," Minako answered, "They just need us for a little bit. I'm sure we can come back and sleep some more afterwards." Rei nodded and pushed herself up onto her elbows. Minako quickly got dressed and placed a set of white clothes on the edge of the bed.

Rei pulled on the pants and stood up discontentedly to slip the shirt over her head. Minako picked up her sword belt and buckled it on, sliding her sword and knife into their sheathes. "Thanks, love," Rei mumbled. She went to the small sink and splashed cold water on her face, shaking her head vigorously. When she straightened she seemed more alert. "So what's going on?"

"Ami said they needed you in the infirmary," Minako said with a shrug. Rei's eyes widened and she threw the door open and sprinted out, not bothering with her boots.

Minako took off after her, but didn't catch up until halfway there. Several hallways away, they were met with chaos. Cots lined one wall, and injured soldiers were standing or sitting in most of the available space. The majority were Martian, but quite a few brunettes were scattered about as well. They skidded to a halt outside the doors of the infirmary and were met by Ami.

"Hey guys," she said distractedly, flipping through a stack of papers on a clipboard. "Sorry to wake you up, Rei, but-"

"It's fine," she interrupted. "Where am I going?"

"Inside, second bed from the back on the right." She gestured vaguely then turned toward one of the cots where a hard-eyed Martian soldier was grimacing in pain.

Minako followed close behind Rei, dreading what was waiting for them. The smell of blood and burned flesh was almost overwhelming in the overcrowded room, and Minako caught her breath sharply. Rei stopped beside her and glanced around. Suddenly the color drained from her face and she rushed forward.

"Deimos!" She stopped beside a bed and Minako stepped up next to her. She'd only seen the general once before, at the council meeting, but if Rei hadn't spoken her name she wouldn't have recognized her. Her chest and left arm were bandaged heavily, along with half of her face.

"Your Majesty," she whispered, her voice raw with pain and smoke inhalation. "We beat them back," she rasped before coughing violently.

"Don't try to talk," Rei pleaded softly as she tenderly pushed dark hair out of the woman's face. "You did well, all of you."

"Phobos," she breathed, turning her head away carefully to look at the next bed over. Rei and Minako looked up to the man in the cot beside her. Even in sleep, he looked pained. Minako walked over to him to adjust his blanket. He had a deep gash from the corner of his mouth that had been stitched and glistened with disinfectant. Looking down at him, she realized in horror that the blanket was lying flat where his right leg should have been. There was a bowl of ice water on the bedside table, so Minako took the rag from his head, rewet it and placed it carefully back on his brow.

When she turned back to the others, she realized that both women were smiling at her. "Thank you," the dark haired woman whispered, "He's everything to me." She was reminded forcibly of her earlier conversation with Haruka. An image of Rei in a similar bed popped into her head but she forced the thought away.

"Rei, your father-" she coughed again. Minako looked around desperately and found a pitcher of water and glasses. She filled one and Rei helped her sit up, while Minako held it to her lips. "The King," she continued when they'd laid her back, "He was killed in the battle. You are our Queen now."

Rei breathed in sharply through her nose, but gave no other outward sigh of distress at the news. Minako started to reach out to her, but thought better of it. Instead, she looked around the room at the other patients. Most of them were Martian, and each bed had the occupants weapons and armor carefully placed by it's side.

She saw Makoto in the opposite corner, talking quietly to a Jovian warrior. She glanced up and patted the man's shoulder before striding over. "Are you General Deimos?" she asked, bowing low. The woman nodded, watching her with violet eyes a shade lighter than Rei's. "On behalf of my people I would like to thank you for coming to us in our time of need."

The General lifted a shaky fist and pressed it to her chest in salute. "Rest now," Rei whispered to her, placing her hand over hers briefly. "You've done enough." She nodded and turned her head away to watch her sleeping lover in the next bed. Minako quietly wiped her eyes as she followed the other two guards out.

Ami met them at the door. "We'll be on the Moon in a couple hours. Apparently, the full fleet of transports has been on orbit outside the planet since yesterday, so they've already evacuated everyone. The hospitals have been notified, so the healers will be meeting us at the port to arrange transport of the patients." She pushed sweaty bangs out of her eyes and looked up at them for the first time. Her azure eyes had dark circles under them. "How are you guys doing?"

Makoto shrugged and Rei nodded. She offered them a tired smile. "You should probably go check on Serenity, she's on the bridge with Artemis."

They walked to the bridge in silence, stopping often to offer encouragement or comfort to wounded soldiers. Minako walked a step behind the other two, studying them. They were shoulder to shoulder walking tall despite their current exhausted state.

"Makoto?" she asked tentatively.

"Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder slightly but didn't break stride.

"Was there any news on your family?" She saw the taller girl tense slightly, and regretted bringing the subject up.

"My mother was killed in the battle," she said quietly. They stopped when they reached the bridge and Makoto turned to face her. Her emerald eyes were sad but determined.

"That makes you the new Queen," Rei said distractedly as she scanned the area. Makoto nodded and stared at the floor. "Me too," she said brusquely before striding away toward the Princess.

Makoto stayed next to Minako, both watching the stiff-backed Martian. "Her father didn't make it?" she asked softly.

Minako shook her head sadly. "Her two generals did though, for the most part…" She cringed slightly, thinking back to the broken warriors in the infirmary. Makoto sighed and started toward the map screen which was now thankfully blank. Minako took a place between Rei and Makoto.

"From what we can tell so far," Artemis was saying," There are no more than a few faint traces of the dark energy on the planet."

"Why haven't they been wiped out?" Makoto asked immediately, her hands balling into fists.

"It's the same fractured traces that were on the plaza," he explained tiredly. "We haven't been able to pinpoint where they're coming from. Also… I don't think there's any point in sending more troops down," he added reluctantly.

"Why not?" Makoto's voice was almost a whimper, all traces of hostility gone.

Artemis looked at her sadly, then turned to one of the tacticians. "Show her," he said softly.

They turned reluctantly to the map screen as the soldier typed in some commands. Several images popped up and there was a collective gasp. They were pictures of the blackened, skeletal remains of trees. Some of the images showed where the fires were still burning. Makoto sat down heavily in the nearest chair.

Serenity stepped closer to her and wrapped her arms around her shaking shoulders. "I'm sorry, Makoto," she said quietly. Makoto placed a hand on Serenity's arm but her eyes stayed locked on the screen.

"Do you have a list of casualties?" Rei growled, tearing her eyes away from the horrific images.

"We're working on it," Artemis answered. He leapt onto a desk and pawed through a stack of papers. "From what we can tell, the Lunar army lost about two thirds of the troops that were sent."

"How many were sent?" Minako asked, stepping up to look over his shoulder.

He sighed heavily. "Half of the standing army. The Martians sent their full force and they are currently down to a little less than half strength. And," he scattered the papers around slightly until he found what he was looking for. "It looks like there are about two thousand survivors from Jupiter. All of them are on their way to the moon."

Minako felt her mouth drop open in shock. _All those people… _She moved next to Rei and twined their fingers together. "What are we going to do?" she whispered.

"Queen Serenity has already contacted Venus and Mercury. We'll be holding another council meeting in a week or two. That reminds me," he turned back to look between Rei and Makoto. "We'll need the two of you there to represent your planets."

Makoto stood up quickly. "I don't have a planet left," she growled fiercely. "But I can guarantee that every Jovian that can carry a weapon will help wipe the blue planet out of the fucking galaxy." She turned and strode out.

Minako watched her go, then turned to Serenity. Her expression was unreadable, but she had tears in her eyes. "Are you crying for Jupiter or Earth?" she asked softly.

"Both," she answered in a choked whisper, not meeting her gaze. "And for the rest of the Empire." She twisted her hands in her lap.

Minako narrowed her eyes at her and pulled away from Rei slightly. "The people of Earth were the cause of all this death," she spat, "How can you still care about them?"

To her surprise, Serenity stood to face her. "How can you not?" she shouted. "Remember the innkeeper who died? All of those innocent people we met?"

Minako couldn't respond to that. She remembered the last morning she'd spoken to the innkeeper. The way he'd held her hand and cried, pleading with them to save his family, his people. She remembered holding him as he died, his last words trying to protect her, to warn her to run away. She swiped angrily at a tear and dropped her gaze.

When she didn't answer, Serenity continued more gently. "I refuse to believe that you're as heartless as you pretend to be." She placed her hand gently on Minako's arm. Minako felt more tears threatening but, rather than break down in front of everyone, she turned on her heel and strode away.

-Rei-

Rei sat beside Serenity in the bridge, watching numbly as they approached the Moon. She'd tried to talk to Minako, but the blonde had brushed past her and disappeared. She sighed softly, unsure what to feel. On the one hand, the people of Earth were responsible for the slaughter they'd just witnessed. Killing and maiming thousands of innocent people. On the other hand, Serenity was right. It wasn't the whole planet, just a handful of selfish rulers.

"Rei?" the Princess said softly, touching her arm, "I'm sorry about your father."

Rei bit her lip and continued staring out the window. "Me too," she admitted finally, "He was a good ruler. My people looked up to him."

"You will be too," Serenity assured her, placing her small delicate hand over Rei's larger, scarred one.

"I'll be placing my generals in charge, once they're healed," she responded gruffly. "My place is here, protecting you."

She heard the Princess sniffle and turned to her. She gave her a watery smile, then laid her head on Rei's shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

"We are beginning our final approach of the Lunar port," A soldier informed them. Rei glanced around, but didn't see any of her fellow guards.

"We should probably find the others," she muttered, getting to her feet. "We need to get our things together."

"The servants have already taken care of your armor and clothes," Artemis said from somewhere behind them. "They'll be cleaned and returned to your rooms."

Rei huffed at the idea of not having armor, even though she probably wouldn't need it to walk back to the palace. She touched the hilt of her sword, finding comfort in it's presence.

Then she slipped her communicator from her belt. Hesitantly, she pressed the yellow button. "Mina? We're about to land."

There was a short crackle. "Where are you? Is the Princess with you?" She sounded strained.

"On the bridge, and yes."

There was a pause, then her voice returned through both of their devices. "Everyone get your weapons and report to the bridge. We're about to land."

They were silent for a while, watching as the gray surface of the moon filled the window. Makoto was the first to arrive, and Minako was close behind her. Ami appeared shortly after, still looking tired and worn.

They all had their weapons strapped on over the bright white clothing. Rei glanced down at herself and scowled. The only thing she'd thought to keep with her were her plated boots and gauntlets. The others were wearing the shiny white loaner boots still. "I'll be glad when we get our own clothes back," she grumbled.

There were a few mild tremors, but the landing was mostly smooth. They closed ranks around the Princess and made their way to the exit ramp. Rei felt instantly better when her feet touched the firm ground of the landing pad. The area was swarming with healers and assorted personnel, but they managed to force their way off the port and toward the village between them and the palace. Rei breathed a sigh of relief when they escaped the crowds.

"We'd better head back to the palace," Minako said heavily. "We're going to have to explain ourselves to the Queen." Rei sighed heavily. With everything that had happened, she'd almost forgotten that they'd left without permission again.

"Princess Venus?" They turned and found a blond man approaching them. He wore a bright yellow cloak over studded leather armor and a white tunic. Looking around, Rei realized that roughly two dozen similarly dressed people were approaching them from all sides. Her hand dropped to her sword hilt of it's own accord.

"Yes?" Minako replied, staring at them in confusion. Rei noted that she'd taken a half step back and tensed.

"Your Highness, we need you to come with us." He stepped forward and held his hand out, palm up.

She stared at him, but didn't move. "What exactly do you need me for?" Her tone was sneering and disdainful, the perfect Venusian. "I've other business to attend to at the moment."

He looked at his fellows and they advanced, drawing their scimitars but keeping the points down. Rei instantly had her sword and knife in her hands and dropped to a fighting crouch.

The man's blue eyes darted to Minako before settling coldly on Rei. "Martian, if you interfere, you'll be going against the direct wishes of his Highness, the King of Venus."

Serenity stepped forward on Rei's other side. "Princess Minako is here by the wishes of High Queen Serenity." Her voice was calm and steady. "Surely you wouldn't openly defy her?" There was a rustle behind Rei and a quick check showed that Makoto and Ami had drawn their weapons as well.

"The Princess is urgently needed on her home planet," he said carefully. "Surely her Majesty could spare her for a short time. Considering the recent events on Jupiter, I would hate for there to be further strain on the ties between Venus and the Moon."

Minako gasped softly and turned to her comrades. She kept her expression neutral, but Rei could see fear in her eyes. "It's alright," she said softly, locking eyes with Rei. "I can at least see what's going on, I'm sure I'll be back quickly. The Queen promised us we could stay as members of her court, remember?" She leaned forward and brushed her lips against Rei's, then stepped toward the guards.

He sheathed his scimitar and caught her upper arm lightly, steered her back toward the port. "Don't worry, Princess," he said cheerfully, "I've seen your new husband and he's very handsome."

Rei tightened her grip on her weapons and watched as Minako stopped in her tracks. "Husband?" she cried faintly.

"Yes Princess," she heard him answer happily. "General Zoicite of Earth."

In a haze, Rei lunged forward. Minako twisted out of his grip and Rei side stepped between her and the soldier. "Don't do this, Martian," he warned, drawing his sword again and squaring off against her.

"You can't take her," Rei snarled back. "She's mine." The man sneered and swung his blade at her head. She blocked the blow easily with her knife and swung her sword under his guard, slicing into his leather armor. Instantly, the other guards converged on them. She heard the others fighting desperately behind her, but didn't take her eyes off her opponent.

A hard blow landed in the middle of her back and she was painfully reminded of her lack of armor. She stumbled forward slightly and felt another white hot slash across the back of her shoulder. She lunged at the nearest guard, plunging her sword through a joint in his armor. He dropped to the ground, gasping, but another instantly took his place. She heard a sharp cry behind her, vaguely recognizing the voice as Ami's. She saw a golden chain flash up beside her, hitting a guard in the face and dropping him. The next moment, however, hands grabbed her arms tightly. She felt a blade pressed to her throat, just close enough to break the skin slightly.

"No, don't!" Minako screamed from somewhere outside her field of vision. Rei was pulled back forcefully, the sword still tight against her skin. Slowly, the sounds of metal on metal ceased. Rei looked to her left and right, without turning her head. The Venusian guards had hold of Ami and Makoto, who were both bleeding profusely and had scimitars pressed to their throats as well. Her eyes found the Princess who, thankfully, appeared to be unharmed. Two guards held her arms tightly.

Finally she looked at Minako. One of the guards had her upper arm in a vice grip, but she was staring only at Rei. "Please, don't hurt them," she pleaded. "I'll- I'll go with you, just please let them go."

Rei tensed and felt the blade press slightly deeper. She could feel hot blood beginning to trickle down the front of her shirt. Minako's cerulean eyes widened and filled with tears. "Please, don't," she repeated in a whimper. "Don't hurt her, I'll go."

They could do nothing but watch helplessly as Minako was dragged away. Rei tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat and felt the blade dig deeper. "Are you going to kill us?" Makoto snarled. The swords were pulled back slightly, but they were forced to stay in place until Minako and her escorts were far out of sight. Several of the yellow-clad guards had to be dragged away by their fellows.

Finally, the scimitar was removed completely. The moment Rei heard the slap of metal on leather, she was thrown forward roughly. She landed on her hands and knees on the ground. The remaining guards hurried past them, most with their swords still out. The last one paused as he passed her and pointed the sword tip at her face. "Don't try anything you'll regret, Martian." Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

The moment he'd disappeared, she scrambled to her feet and charged after them. Almost immediately, strong hands caught her arms and held her back. "Don't, Rei," Makoto said in a low voice. "You can't help her like that."

Rei sagged slightly and was released. "I'm not letting her go," she said softly. She looked around at her comrades. Makoto had a deep cut under her eye and was sporting several bruises. Ami had a large spot of blood on her side that was slowly spreading across the white shirt.

Serenity approached her and touched her arm tentatively. "We can go to my mother, she'll figure something out."

"I don't think she'll be able to do anything," Ami said heavily. "If Venus is allying with Earth, which is what it sounds like, the Queen won't have the authority to bring her back."

"Well then, let's go tell Artemis what's happened," Serenity suggested desperately. "He helped us before, maybe he will again." There was muttered agreement and they hastily returned to the carrier. The area was mostly empty now, so they had no trouble reaching the bridge quickly. Artemis and several tacticians were stacking papers and organizing.

"Artemis, we need to go to Venus," Rei said immediately. He stared at her in confusion. "They took Minako, we have to go get her!"

"What?" he asked turning to them. His eyes widened as he looked them over. "What happened to you? You're injured!"

"Venus is taking the deal the Earth offered," Ami explained bitterly. "They stopped us just outside the village. When we wouldn't hand Minako over, they took her by force."

He stared open-mouthed at them for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go there."

"Why not?" Rei shouted. "They're taking her to be married to one of the Earth generals! We have to get her back!" She felt a calming hand on her arm and shook it off irritably. "You let us go to Jupiter, how is this different?"

"The entire population of the planet was at risk," he snapped. "Makoto was the only one available who knew the area and could deliver the message quickly. You're talking about one person, who isn't in immediate danger. If we do anything rash, it could have grave consequences."

"But-" but Artemis wouldn't let her finish.

"You have to put personal feelings aside, Mars, you have a job to do." He gestured to the remaining personnel in the room and started for the door. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do right now. "

Once they were alone in the room, Rei growled in impotent rage. She slammed her fist into the nearest desk, denting the smooth metal. "They're not going to do anything?" she raged. "We're just supposed to sit here and let her be handed over to… to that…" She hit the desk again, unwilling to finish the thought. Minako was hers, and the thought of anyone else touching her… She spun on her heel and started for the door. "I'm finding a way there."

"Artemis just directly ordered us not to," Ami said loudly. "We have to let the Queen handle this."

"I don't care," Rei growled, but she stopped in the doorway. "It could be weeks before they- and by that time…" She dropped her head and clenched her fists tightly. "There has to be something we can do," she said softly.

Everyone was silent. "If I go, you would have to follow," Serenity said slowly. Rei spun around to face her, silently pleading. "I'm sure there are plenty of civilian shuttles going there," she continued, "Venus is the most popular vacation spot in the galaxy."

Ami retrieved her computer from the desk, quickly unhooking it from the ship and flipping it open. They waited on bated breath as she typed quickly. "It looks like there's a shuttle leaving in an hour, and another one in four days." She looked up and the Princess nodded. Ami hit a few buttons and sighed heavily. "Alright, we're booked. We should hurry and get cleaned up. There should be spare clothes in the infirmary."

They sprinted out of the bridge and followed the Mercurian through the maze of hallways. Distantly, Rei wished they had time to retrieve their armor. _It doesn't matter, _she decided, not breaking stride. _The only thing that matters is Minako._

-Queen Serenity-

Later that day, Queen Serenity sat in her audience chamber, lost in thought. Setsuna was sitting silently beside her, glaring at nothing. The door flew open and Artemis sprinted in. He inclined his head respectfully before leaping onto the table. "They're nowhere in the castle your Majesty," he panted.

"Really, what part of 'do not leave the planet' don't they understand?" Luna said irritably. "Do you have any idea where they could have gone?"

"Considering what happened outside the village earlier, I would guess they've found a way to Venus," Artemis answered sourly. "After I specifically told them not to."

Setsuna shifted slightly to gaze at the Queen. "This, along with the whole Jupiter fiasco only proves that your earlier concerns were right."

"Jupiter was different," Artemis pointed out. "Makoto was the most reasonable person to send."

"And sending the Princess with her?" Setsuna demanded.

He looked away awkwardly. "Well, I suggested Makoto go with an escort of soldiers, and leave the other three here with the Princess…" He sighed heavily. "Ami insisted on going with her. You know how close those two have become, and the Princess worries when they're not all together…"

"Also, I would assume that Rei was the one pushing to go to Venus after Minako?" Luna snapped. "She has the most sway with the Princess, it wouldn't be hard to convince her to go along with whatever plan they hatched up." Artemis nodded, dropping his gaze to the tabletop.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this," the Queen said sadly. "They're all so happy."

"Their personal happiness isn't the issue," Luna pointed out. "This is the second time in a week that they've risked the Princess's safety because of their relationships with each other. Obviously their priorities are in the wrong place."

"I don't understand," Artemis said softly, "We told them about the prophesy, they know what is at stake."

"I doubt they're thinking of it as risking the Princess…" Setsuna said slowly.

"That is exactly the point!" Luna said angrily. "They are not thinking of the Princess. Their bonds to each other have blinded them to their duties."

All eyes turned to the Queen, who sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, that seems to be the case. Their relationships with each other cannot be allowed to go beyond friendship any more." She stood up and the others followed suit. "Please have my shuttle ready to travel to Venus as soon as possible. I think it's time to handle things directly."


	23. Venus

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Ami-

-1 Ami stared intently at her computer screen, trying to lock the details into her memory. They'd been on the shuttle for six hours and she'd been using the time to download maps and contemplate strategy. No one had spoken in at least two hours. There was really nothing to say. The task ahead was going to be difficult and impossibly dangerous, but Ami couldn't think of any way around it. She knew they shouldn't have gone, they'd been directly ordered not to, but… _If I were in Rei's place and it was Makoto who had been taken, I would risk it too._

She glanced up from the screen to check on everyone. Makoto was beside her, asleep with her forehead resting against the window. Serenity was asleep as well across from her, head tilted onto Rei's shoulder. The stoic Martian was staring out the window, but Ami was willing to bet she wasn't really seeing anything. Her screen flashed and she looked down and smiled.

"They've arrived on the planet," she said softly.

"Are you sure?" Rei's voice was hoarse.

"Positive," Ami confirmed. She opened a new window that showed a map of the royal city. An orange dot was moving slowly away from the port. "She has her communicator with her, so I can track her movements. They're just leaving the port and they're headed toward the palace. I've already downloaded maps of the palace and the city, just in case I can't get a signal once we arrive."

"Like on Earth," Rei muttered. Ami glanced up at her and saw the amethyst eyes harden with resolve.

"It's possible," she replied reluctantly. "Since they're allying with Earth, they might have set up the same blocks. I'm still not sure what caused the interruption there, though." She lapsed into thoughtful silence and Rei sighed heavily.

Two hours later, a tinny voice reached them over the speakers of the transport. "We will be entering the atmosphere of Venus shortly, please make sure that all bags are properly stored and all seats are locked in the upright position."

Ami smirked and checked her screen once more before closing the computer and stowing it in her bag. Makoto shifted next to her and she looked up at the taller girl. "We're there?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Just about. How's your eye?" Ami reached up to trace her thumb over the bandage. They'd had just enough time to patch up their injuries and change into clean white clothes before running to the transport.

"I'm alright," Makoto answered with a crooked grin. Her smile faded slightly when she looked the smaller girl over. "What about you? That wasn't exactly a scratch." She indicated her side where Ami had taped and bandaged the gaping slice below her ribs.

She shrugged noncommittally. "I'll be ok, we heal fast remember?" Makoto didn't look convinced. Ami slid a hand behind her head and pulled her down for a long, thorough kiss. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," she whispered.

Serenity yawned loudly, drawing their attention to her. "Are we- ooh!" Her crystal blue eyes widened as she looked out the window. They had just entered the atmosphere and bright light exploded through the windows. As they descended through the clouds, the shining city came into view.

Ami had read plenty of books on the planet and seen pictures of the royal city, but the sight was still breathtaking. The sky was a swirling mass of red, orange, and yellow clouds and the colors reflected beautifully against the golden buildings of the city.

"It's so pretty!" Serenity squealed, pressing her nose to the window for a better look.

"There's a lot of volcanic activity on the planet," Ami informed them as she looked around Makoto out the window. "The heat and ash cause a thick permanent cloud cover that refracts the sun's rays, that's why the sky always looks like sunset." There were assorted mutterings to this information and Ami smiled to herself.

A small clink of metal indicated that Rei was already bored with the scenery. She was tapping her boots together impatiently and scowling as she checked the fastenings of her gauntlets. Ami opened her mouth to say something comforting, but decided against it. In Rei's current mood, nothing was going to make her feel better.

There was a shudder as the craft landed and the moment the doors opened, there was an explosion of sound. They clumped close together as the crowds pushed them out of the transport and into the blindingly bright royal city of Venus. There were shops and stalls of every color lining the streets, performers on every corner, and throngs of people. Ami checked the straps that secured her rifle and computer bag nervously.

"Wow," Makoto breathed, pressing close beside her. "There's so many people." Ami raised an eyebrow and glanced up at her other half. Her emerald eyes were almost perfectly round as she stared around the crowded market.

"Which way to the palace?" Rei grunted from her other side. She was glaring around with her hand resting on her sword hilt.

"We should stop at a few of these stalls first," Ami suggested, eyeing herself critically. "We stand out too much dressed like this."

"Especially you," Makoto joked, earning a murderous glare from the Martian. She hastily skirted to Ami's other side to put some distance between them.

"Did you bring any money?" Rei demanded, narrowing her eyes at the nearest stall.

"I did!" Serenity shrieked happily. She caught Rei's free hand and skipped toward the masses, dragging the soldier behind her. Ami chuckled and linked her arm through Makoto's before following. "Rei, this would look so pretty with your hair!" they heard her cry from ahead of them.

"This should be interesting," Makoto whispered gleefully, hurrying to catch up to their friends. They found a stall that sold the gauzy scarves that Minako always wore. The shop keep's eyes lit up when Serenity loudly exclaimed how cheap everything was.

Serenity happily picked out multitudes of brightly colored scarves, piling them into Rei's arms. Ami winced as she cheerfully paid the man twice what they were worth. Then the Princess dragged them away to a nearby fountain to drape the scarves over them. Ami found herself presented with an electric blue one which she tied around her head bandana style. A matching one was knotted at her throat so it hung over one shoulder. She selected a lime green one to tie around her waist, smiling slightly when she saw Makoto doing the same with a bright blue. Ami helped her tie a green scarf around her ponytail so it hung down her back.

A soft growl made them both turn. Serenity was looping a garish pink scarf through Rei's black belt and the Martian looked like she might spontaneously combust. Ami took pity on the guard and moved to help. She selected two bright orange ones and tied them around her upper arms, earning a small smile when Rei caught sight of the colors. While she was distracted, the Princess used a bright red one to pull the short raven hair into a ponytail.

Once Serenity was satisfied she dragged them to another store that sold sandals. Ami and Makoto grudgingly exchanged their plain shoes for white leather lace ups, but Rei refused point blank to be parted from her black plated boots. They compromised by crisscrossing white laces around them.

The three guards were starting to tire as their Princess led them from shop to shop, examining every item on every table. "Serenity, I think we blend in well enough," Rei finally snapped. She caught the Princess's arm just as she was about to flit toward another stall. Ami looked over the Princess and had to agree. She'd exchanged her clothes for a white tunic and laced sandals, and was adorned with pink and blue scarves.

"I think Rei's right," Makoto said heavily. "You look like a local." Serenity started to comment, but her eyes fixed on a point between the two. She squealed in inarticulate excitement and shot off behind them.

Rei growled irritably and sprinted after her with the other two close on her heels. They nearly slammed into her when she stopped abruptly. "Serenity…"

Ami stepped around her to see what had her so upset and gaped at what the Princess had found. "Make up?" she asked faintly. An open pavilion was set up with a dozen chairs and shelves of supplies lining the walls. Makoto made a strangled noise beside her.

Serenity sat in a chair and gazed around misty-eyed. "Are you going to the wedding tonight?" A blonde girl asked her excitedly. She nodded and the girl smiled widely. "Your hair looks great! I think we could just line your eyes with…"

Ami tuned the girl out, turning to her comrades in exasperation. "How long do you think-"

"They're going too!" Serenity cried, making her freeze and turn back in alarm. "Can you fix them up as well?"

Before they could make an escape, they were hustled forward by a handful of blondes and deposited in three chairs. Ami sighed heavily, resigning herself to her Princess's whims. She looked sideways at Makoto, who gave her a helpless shrug.

"You're so exotic!" someone squealed behind them. They both turned and had to laugh as no less than four blondes descended on a very disgruntled Rei.

"Such pretty hair, it's so dark!"

"Look at those eyes!"

"Oh, no a scar!"

"We can fix that!"

"I have the perfect color!"

Ami turned back to Makoto, who winked at her and grinned. Their own stylists were no less excitable and had soon started to work on them, chatting happily to each other as well as Serenity. The three guards stayed silent, patiently waiting for the ordeal to be over. Finally, one of them handed Ami a hand mirror. "What do you think?" he asked, wringing his hands excitedly.

She cocked her head, examining her reflection. _Not too bad_, she thought, taking in the dark eye liner and silvery colors on her eyelids. She smiled and rather enjoyed the effect of the ice blue lipstick. She glanced at Makoto and gave a low whistle of appreciation. Her eyes stood out brightly and ruby red lips quirked into a grin. A green leafy pattern now decorated the bandage under her eye.

"Rei, you look amazing!" Serenity cried. They both turned and Ami found herself lost for words. There was thick black lining her eyes and dark purple lipstick. An intricate design swirled out from the corner of her eye and across her scar, effectively hiding it from view.

"Wow," Makoto murmured, apparently stunned into speechlessness. Ami had to agree. The overall effect, combined with the clothing, was stunning.

Or would have been if her expression hadn't been quite so murderous. "Are we ready to go now?" Rei snarled. The others shrank back slightly, but Serenity simply linked arms with her and giggled. She thanked them profusely and tipped them generously before they departed.

They walked to a less crowded spot and Ami pulled out her computer. She scanned through the maps and found the orange spot on the ground floor of the palace. "Ok, the palace is pretty near here and it looks like she's pacing in a small room on the ground floor. Rei was instantly by her side, staring intently at the blip on the screen.

"Have you checked the scans for dark energy?" Makoto asked, looking over her shoulder. She quickly switched to the scanners, frowning slightly. There were concentrations of purple fragments around the port, directly where they'd walked through earlier. "Just like before," Makoto muttered darkly. "We walked right past them again."

"At least there's no trace of them in the palace," Ami pointed out bracingly. She closed the device and placed it carefully back in her pack. "We should head there. Even if those monsters aren't there, we've still got to get past their soldiers." They nodded in unison and the four of them started toward the palace.

-Rei-

Rei stayed in the rear of the group, keeping an eye out for any potential threats. As she walked, she checked that the obnoxious scarf in her belt wasn't in the way of her weapons. She was, however, grateful that they weren't so blatantly foreign any more. People were looking at them, but not in a hostile way. They seemed to be simply looking them over, evaluating them.

Ami dropped back to walk beside her. "How are you doing?" she asked quietly.

Rei shrugged and didn't respond. Someone whistled at them and Rei scowled in their general direction. "I wish they'd stop doing things like that," she grumbled. "What's everyone's problem here?"

Ami gave her a quizzical stare. "What do you mean?"

"People keep looking at us and saying things or whistling. It's irritating." she sighed heavily, resting her hand on her sword hilt again.

Ami shrugged and gazed around in distaste. "We're on Venus," she said by way of explanation. Rei raised an eyebrow at her. "It's how people are here. Everything's about beauty and sex, they're just checking us out."

Rei frowned as she considered this. "But almost everyone we've seen has been doing that," she pointed out. "Are there really that many single people on this planet?" She eyed a knot of scantily clad people lingering near what she assumed was a tavern.

"Single?" Ami echoed, clearly confused. "Why would there be a lot of single people?"

Rei huffed. "Well apparently there are, if all of these people want to… you know." She trailed off awkwardly. Ami shook her head slightly and didn't respond right away.

"Rei," she said finally, "How much has Minako told you about Venusian culture?"

She looked sideways at the smaller girl. "They're not very nice to each other," she answered with a small smirk. "Why?"

"Not nice… Haven't you ever heard someone make a comment about people from here?" she asked carefully. "How they're… more fun?"

"Yes, of course," she tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. This conversation didn't seem to be going anywhere. "She told me things like modesty aren't a big deal here."

"Neither is fidelity," Ami responded. "Not usually."

Rei stopped in her tracks and stared at the smaller girl. "What are you saying exactly?" she demanded loudly. Dimly she was aware that Serenity and Makoto had stopped as well.

Ami tensed slightly but didn't back down. "I'm saying that things like marriage don't mean a lot on this planet. They're checking you out because they find you attractive. To them it doesn't matter if they're single or not."

Rei felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. _Doesn't matter? _She shook her head in silent denial. _How could it not matter? It mattered to her, didn't it? _"Minako's not like that," she choked out. _How do you know? _A voice in her head pointed out. _Because she told you? _Ami said something, but it sounded far away. The voice in her head was much louder. _What do you know about these people? How can you be sure?_

A hand gripped her shoulder tightly and she focused on Makoto's face. "Rei? Rei, come on." She shook her lightly and Rei felt her daze lift.

"She's not like them," she repeated more forcefully.

Ami touched her arm and she had to fight the urge to shake her off. "That's not what I meant, Rei," she said softly. She seemed genuinely upset. "I only meant that the majority of people here… It's just cultural differences but…"

"They're not all like that," Serenity reassured her. "You know her better than that, don't you?"

Rei gazed into the sapphire eyes and nodded slowly, feeling more confident. "Of course," she said firmly. "Let's get going. The sooner we all get off of this planet, the better." She charged through the crowd, trusting the others to keep up. When she reached the front gates of the palace she stopped, panting slightly.

"How are we going to get in?" Makoto asked, gazing up at the imposing golden structure. There were a group of guards in orange cloaks milling by the entrance.

"We could probably get over the wall," Rei said uncertainly. She looked at the palace and back at Makoto. "Or we could just take out those four guards and slip in."

"There's got to be a weak point in their defenses somewhere," Ami pointed out, reaching for her computer.

"This is so exciting!" Serenity cried as she strolled straight toward the group of guards.

"What is she doing?" Makoto hissed as the three of them rushed toward her.

She grinned at them and kept walking, waving airily to the guards and smiling brightly. "I haven't seen the Princess in ages and now she's getting married? I just can't wait!" The guards inclined their heads to her and she curtsied to them. She kept up a string of excited chatter until they had made it all the way into the palace.

She stopped inside the doors and grinned at them expectantly. "That was a really good idea," Ami said in amazement.

"Don't sound so surprised," Serenity teased her. Makoto exchanged an amused glance with the smaller guard. Rei smirked at them, impressed despite herself.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked after a moment.

Ami leaned against the wall and took out her computer. Rei tilted her head to watch her flipping through maps and muttering to herself. Finally she found the orange blip in a hallway. She cursed softly and looked up at them. "I don't have a signal any more. The last point it recorded her was between the room from earlier and the banquet hall." She closed her computer and sighed.

Makoto pulled her communicator from her belt and held it to her mouth. "Are these still working?" Her voice was doubled as it poured out of Rei's device. She grinned and snapped it back into place.

"Alright then," Rei touched the device and smiled. "I'll check out the room, you three go to the banquet hall. Don't use these unless you absolutely have to though, we don't want to give ourselves away." They nodded and she turned away and strode down the hall without a word.

-Makoto-

Makoto watched Rei's retreating back until she was out of sight. She sighed heavily, wondering if it was really a good idea to split up. _It can't be helped I suppose_, she reasoned. _We only have a limited amount of time, after all. _She glanced at Serenity, who was staring down the hall where the Martian had disappeared.

"I guess we'd better get going," she said easily, trying to display a confidence she didn't feel. "I'm starving, I hope Venusians are good cooks." She caught Ami's eye before linking arms with the Princess and leading her away.

The banquet hall was lavishly decorated and packed with people. Everything and everyone was gaudy and brightly colored, to the point that Makoto almost felt dizzy. She looked down at Ami instead of around at the swirls of color. The press of bodies made it difficult to move, but eventually they were able to reach a slightly out of the way spot that offered a view of the entire room.

Makoto looked around over the heads of the crowd and spotted a long table that was elevated from the others. In the center sat the king and queen of Venus, their heads bent slightly and talking quietly. To the right was a handsome blond man who looked only a few years older than herself, and beside him sat Minako. She looked beautiful but thoroughly miserable as she stared at the table top.

"I see her," Makoto hissed to the other two. They huddled closer to her and she bent her head slightly. "She looks upset but otherwise I think she's ok."

At that moment, the king stood and smiled charmingly at the crowd. The murmurs died down as he held up a hand for silence. "I have a very exciting announcement," he said loudly, staring around dramatically before continuing. "It is with great pleasure that we welcome home Princess Minako, who has been abroad for several years." There was a murmur of appreciation as she reluctantly stood and inclined her head. She sat down quickly and Makoto bit her lip, wanting to help her friend.

The blond man next to her leaned over to whisper something to her and both of them abruptly stood and disappeared out a side door. "Who's that?" Makoto whispered, but it was lost in the increased mutterings filling the hall.

The king gaped after them for a moment but recovered quickly. He cleared his throat loudly to regain everyone's attention. "Nothing to worry about," he said airily, flashing another toothy smile. "She's just excited about my next announcement, the reason we have invited all of you today. I would like to introduce two of tonight's guests of honor, Counselor Beryl and General Zoicite of Earth." He gestured to the left and Makoto gasped and ducked down.

"She knows us," Ami whispered frantically. "We can't let her see us." The counselor launched into a speech and Makoto kept her head down as she slunk toward the nearest door. The others followed behind, trying to draw as little attention as possible to themselves.

They were almost to the door when Ami caught her wrist and stopped her. She indicated the front where a woman they'd never seen before was striding to the center of the dais. Makoto stayed low so she could watch between the heads in front of her. The woman was tall, pale and almost skeletally thin with black hair done up in an elegant twist. She wore a long plain black dress, but Makoto's eyes were drawn to a large pendant around her neck. It displayed a dark red jewel the size of her palm that almost seemed to glow, even in the bright room. Her dark eyes drifted over the crowd and they all impulsively ducked lower.

"Now," the king's voice echoed around the suddenly silent room, "We are pleased and honored to welcome Queen Metallia, ruler of Earth." There were scattered applause and Serenity gasped.

She squeezed close between the two guards. "Isn't that the one they mentioned before?" she whispered fearfully. Ami nodded mutely, her eyes wide.

"Let's go," Makoto said softly, catching their hands and pulling them out of the room. Back in the hallway, she took a shaky breath. "If she's here…"

"We need to call Rei," Ami breathed. "We've got to get out of here, now."

-Minako-

Minako stared forlornly at the pristine tablecloth. She'd never felt so trapped and hopeless in her life. Her parents had welcomed her home warmly, immediately explaining their plan to ally with Earth. The slaughter on Jupiter had terrified them, since the army of Venus was nowhere near as powerful as the Jovians. They had decided, for the good of the planet, to take the offer of peace. They seemed to think that Queen Serenity would understand.

"What's wrong?" a voice whispered close to her ear. She looked into her older brother's concerned sapphire eyes and felt tears well in her own. He glanced down the table then back to her, frowning. "Come on," he said, standing up.

She followed him as he led her down the stairs and out the side door, ignoring the murmurs of the crowd. When they reached the blessedly empty hallway. "What's going on?" he demanded.

She stared at him for a moment, debating. She'd always been closer to him than anyone else growing up, and she wanted to trust him now. "Eros, this is a mistake," she breathed.

"Why do you say that?" He caught her chin gently and tilted her head to force her to look at him. "Don't you like the General?"

"We can't trust them, the Earthlings. They'll destroy us." He frowned in confusion but didn't argue, so she continued. "I saw what they did on Jupiter, and I've seen what's happening on their own planet."

"But marrying their general might keep them from attacking us," he reasoned. "Besides, he's very attractive, it wouldn't be that bad would it?"

She couldn't stop the tears then. "I can't marry him. I don't love him." She took a shaky breath and forced herself to finish, praying that he would understand. "I'm in love with someone else…"

He looked over his shoulder, then back at her. "Maybe you could bring this person here too?"

She shook her head vehemently. "I don't want anyone else." She wiped her eyes desperately and stared up at him. "Please, we can't trust them. Don't make me do this."

He sighed heavily and pulled her into a tight hug. She leaned against him, trying to control her breathing and waiting for him to respond. Finally, he relaxed his grip on her. "I believe you." She burst into fresh tears at the soft declaration. "Shh," he rubbed her back gently and started steering her down the hall. "We need to get you out of here." She nodded and wiped her eyes frantically.

They made their way toward the antechamber, but froze at the corner before. Raised voices were coming from ahead of them. "I can't allow you to go inside!" a man shouted desperately.

"That sounds like Captain Adonis," Eros whispered close to her ear. She frowned and waited, straining to hear more.

There were shuffled footsteps and a thump. "If you don't tell me where she is…"

_It couldn't be… _"Rei!" she shrieked, sprinting around the corner. The Martian had the captain of the guards pinned to a wall with her knife against his throat. She broke off and turned at the sound of Minako's voice.

"Minako," she whispered, dropping the stunned guard to the ground. She sheathed her knife just in time to catch the blonde who launched herself at her.

She kissed her passionately, holding her so tightly she could barely breath. Minako pulled back slightly to take in her unusual appearance. She touched the design that covered her scar. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

Rei tilted her head slightly, looking uncertain. "I came to get you." Minako's mouth dropped open, hardly daring to believe this was really happening. Rei frowned slightly. "Is that alright? Unless you want to stay-"

Minako captured her lips in another kiss, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. "Of course," she breathed into her ear, "I'm yours, remember?"

Rei hugged her tightly before pulling back. Her amethyst eyes flicked to the two blond men watching the exchange with bemused expressions. Minako pulled reluctantly out of her grasp, but twined their fingers together. "Rei, this is my brother, Eros, and Captain Adonis."

They inclined their heads, Adonis looking a little put out still. There was a short buzz of static and Rei fumbled her communicator out of her belt as Ami's panicked voice sounded in the empty hallway. "Rei, we've got to go right now. Have you seen her?"

"She's with me," she responded quickly. "What happened?"

"No time," Ami snapped. "Where are you?"

Minako took the communicator from Rei's hand. "Ami, it's Minako. There's a small antechamber near the banquet hall-"

"Got it," she interrupted breathlessly. "We're on our way."

Adonis threw the chamber door open and ran inside, returning at the same moment that the other three appeared sprinting down the corridor toward them. He handed Minako her sword belt and gave her a quick hug. "Take the back door," Eros said quickly, kissing her cheek, "We'll cover for you as long as we can." The others skidded to an uncertain halt, eyeing the two blond men. Eros turned to Rei and hugged her. "Take care of my sister."

Minako smiled gratefully at him before turning away and running down the hall. The five of them sprinted through the maze of corridors and finally burst through a door and into the courtyard.

They paused to catch their breath and Ami immediately whipped out her computer. "Ha!" she said triumphantly, typing quickly. "I guess they haven't extended the network blocks outside the palace."

Minako deciding not to comment, opting to buckle on her sword belt instead. She silently thanked Adonis for retrieving her weapons and communicator. Then, she turned to Rei and found the other girl watching her. "Are you alright?" she asked. She stepped closer to her and carefully untied the scarf from her hair. Rei nodded, keeping her amethyst eyes locked on her own. "What's wrong?"

The dark haired girl dropped her gaze to the ground, looking stricken. "I'm just glad you're alright. I was so afraid that you… that they…"

"Reiko," she said softly, pulling the girl into a hug, "That I what?"

Rei buried her face against her neck. "Nothing," she murmured, "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Got it," Ami said, snapping her computer shut. "Our shuttle leaves in two hours. Everyone keep a close eye out. Remember there are fragments of dark energy all around the port."

Minako glanced at her then gently stepped back from her Martian. _Our first priority has to be getting home,_ she reminded herself as she looked guiltily at Serenity. "Alright, there's a gate over here that comes out close to the port."

She tied the ruby scarf to her belt and started forward at a slightly more relaxed pace. Rei stayed silent as she strode a half step behind her. "Do you think the Queen saw us?" Serenity asked quietly.

"The Queen?" Minako repeated, "I doubt it, besides I'm sure my mother wouldn't recognize you."

"The Queen of Earth, Metallia." Minako glanced back at Makoto in confusion.

"Metallia?"

"She's here," Ami said quickly. "We saw her just before we left, that's why we needed to get out of here."

Minako gasped softly. _I must have just missed her_, she thought in surprise. "When we get home, we'll tell Queen Serenity," she decided as they rounded a corner. She stopped when they reached the port, which was crowded with people. She glanced around desperately, trying to find a way through the masses.

Directly ahead of her was a small knot of people wearing studded leather jerkins. She touched the shoulder of the nearest one. "Excuse me, I was wondering-" she broke off as she was greeted by a familiar face. "You! We met you on Earth!" The blonde girl smiled coldly at her but didn't answer. Minako backed away slightly, alarmed by the strange behavior. All around them, the crowd had silenced and turned toward them. Minako backed up another step until her back was pressed against Rei's arm. "You didn't think it would be that easy to walk away did you?" the blonde girl sneered.

"What-" Suddenly the girl screamed. Minako could only watch in horror as her body seemed to expand outward, her skin and clothing splitting and dark blood pouring out. The transformation took only a few seconds and Minako nearly fell in her haste to get away from the dripping black monster that stood where the girl had been. All around them, the crowd screamed and disintegrated, to be replaced by at least fifty black shadow monsters. Beyond them she could hear panicked shouting.

"Oh gods," she whispered, drawing her scimitar. There was a loud crack and the top half of one monster was blown off by Ami's rifle. "Serenity, get behind me!" she shouted, swinging at the arm of the nearest monster.

They formed a circle facing the monsters and keeping the Princess firmly in the middle of them. Another blast dropped a creature to her left, but she could only focus on the ones pressing in on her. She swung wildly and got a lucky strike across the throat of one. It gave a strangled cry and fell, but another immediately stepped forward. A searing pain shot through her thigh and she swung down and severed the long arm.

They were horribly outnumbered, with no armor, still injured and no way to call for back up. She thought of the palace guards, oblivious to the threat. _Or possibly part of the threat_, but she couldn't devote much energy to the thought. She swung up and sliced into the face of one of them. At the same moment, a hard burning blow to her stomach knocked her back a step. She could hear grunts of pain from her comrades and terrified whimpering from the Princess. _Serenity_, she thought in anguish, _the prophesy. She never should have come here._

A spear like arm shot toward her face and grazed her jaw as she deflected it, barely missing her throat. Beside her, Makoto gave a strangled cry and stumbled forward onto one knee. She tried to stand but a black fist connected with the side of her face, knocking her to the ground. Minako tried to slice her way to her comrade but was pushed back. A sharp pain ripped down her back and she could feel hot blood coursing down her shoulder and leg.

Suddenly everything stopped. The monsters were frozen in place, some were mere inches of connecting with their targets. Before Minako could even fathom what had happened, a blinding white light enveloped them. She instinctively threw her arm across her eyes, gasping for breath. In her peripheral vision, she could see the creatures melting into nothingness. As the light faded, she dropped her arm and saw a figure in white standing a short distance away. The light dissipated and seemed to retract back to the figure until it was a pinpoint of brightness, then nothing.

A dark figure next to it spread their hands apart and suddenly the world came back to life. The people all around who had been fleeing and screaming, resumed then looked around in confusion since the threat had disappeared. Panting, Minako dropped to her knees. The figure in white collapsed sideways and the darker one caught it.

"Mother?" a voice breathed behind her. Serenity rushed past her and, as Minako's vision cleared, she realized that Lady Pluto was walking toward them, supporting Queen Serenity with one arm and clutching an ornate staff in the other hand.

"That is enough," Pluto snapped, staring hard at them. Makoto struggled to her hands and knees, gazing up at them in awe. On her other side, Rei dropped to one knee although Minako wasn't sure if it was respect or exhaustion.

Ami limped forward, still clutching her rifle in blood covered arms. "Your Majesty?" she said tentatively. Lady Pluto shifted her glare to the small soldier and Ami flinched.

"It's time to go," she said calmly. She gestured to the Royal transport and the guards shakily made their way to it. Minako looked back once at the empty battlefield before dropping her head and following the others onto the ship.


	24. The New Counsil

-Ami-

-1 Ami stumbled slightly as she stepped onto the transport. Between the new wounds, and the old ones that had reopened, her whole body was on fire. She was too exhausted to even think as she staggered to a chair and sat down heavily. She'd barely slept in the last week and, now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she was exhausted.

Artemis appeared in front of her and gazed at her sadly. "Follow me, Mercury, we brought a few healers with us." She struggled to her feet and followed him down a short hallway to the medical station. Carefully, she set her rifle on the floor before crawling onto a cot. She wordlessly undid her knife belt and dropped it beside her rifle before curling onto her side.

She closed her eyes and listened as the others were ushered in by Luna. "Lie still," a soft voice said above her. She tried to nod and grimaced as pain shot through her body. Soft hands peeled off the torn remains of her shirt and there was a stifled gasp. "I'm going to put you to sleep for a while, alright Mercury?"

She didn't resist as she was lifted up slightly and a glass was pressed against her lips. She swallowed the bitter liquid, coughing slightly as it trickled down her throat. She felt them lay her down again and she curled back into her previous position.

"They're lucky to be alive," someone said quietly. "If you hadn't stepped in when you did-"

"Time is not something to be meddled with," someone else snapped angrily. "Especially not for something like this. It should never have happened."

"Is the Queen alright?" a third person asked anxiously.

A heavy sigh. "She will be. It took a lot out of her, using the crystal to that extent…" The voices started to fade as the drugs began to have an effect. Soon, Ami fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

She awoke reluctantly, cracking her eyes open and looking around. She was in a bright white room and there were soft sounds around her. Opening her eyes all the way, she realized with a rush of relief that she was in the infirmary at the Lunar palace. "We're home," she whispered to herself.

"Ami, you're awake." She tried to sit up and intense pain shot up her side. She laid back quickly and turned her head to the source of the voice. Rei was watching her in concern from the next bed over. She was sitting up and Ami saw that most of her upper body was wrapped in bandages, along with one of her forearms. "How are you feeling?"

Ami turned her head to check the other direction and was met with white wall. She turned back to Rei, rolling gingerly onto her uninjured side and propping herself up slightly. She looked down and found that both her arms were bandaged from wrist to shoulder. "Where are the others?"

Rei sighed and looked over her shoulder. "In the other room," she said softly.

Ami forced herself into a sitting position and swung her legs over the side of the bed, noting dimly that her midsection was bandaged as well. "Why? Are they alright? Were they hurt worse than us?"

Rei shook her head sadly. "No, Artemis said they're okay. He said when we were feeling better everything would be explained."

Ami bit her lip in confusion. "Explain what?"

Rei shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know," she said heavily, "But I think they're really upset with us." She dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, this was my fault."

"No, it wasn't," Ami said firmly. "I would have done the same if it had been Mako." She stopped as a lump formed in her throat. She wanted to see her, badly. Not knowing if she was alright, not being able to see her, was more painful than the injuries.

"I know, but we shouldn't have brought the Princess," Rei continued forlornly. "I put her at risk."

"You didn't have a choice," Ami tried to reassure her.

"I think I've heard enough," a cold voice said from the doorway. Lady Pluto stepped into the room and frowned at them.

"Ma'am," Ami said quickly, "Is Makoto alright? Can I see her?"

Her garnet eyes hardened as she looked between them. "Jupiter will survive, as will Venus," she glanced at Rei. "The Princess is, thankfully, unharmed as well," she added icily, "It is unfortunate that she is no longer your primary concern."

Ami felt her chest tighten in dread. Something in the older woman's tone made her think that something terrible was about to happen. Rei seemed to sense it as well because she immediately sat up straight. "Ma'am, the Princess is always our-"

"Enough," Pluto snapped. "Are you feeling well enough to walk? I need to speak with you in the common room." She strode out before either one of them could answer.

Ami felt tears threatening and looked to Rei, who was staring at her hands. "What do you think they're going to do?" she whispered. Rei only shook her head and got carefully to her feet. She silently moved to help Ami as well and the two of them left the small room.

The walk to the common room felt like walking to a death sentence. Ami kept her head down. She didn't want to see the accusation in anyone's eyes. _We failed_, she thought miserably, _the Princess almost died because of us_. She felt a single tear trail down her cheek when they reached the door. She stopped, trying to steel herself for whatever they were about to face.

Rei sighed heavily beside her and pushed the door open. Ami followed her in, still staring at the floor until the Martian made a small pained noise. She looked up to find Minako and Makoto sitting on one of the couches. She had to fight the urge to run to her lover and throw herself in her arms. Their eyes met and she knew Makoto was feeling the same. Rei took a step toward them but froze when someone cleared their throat behind them.

Ami turned slowly and found Luna, Artemis and Lady Pluto watching them with very serious expressions. "Have a seat," Pluto said, gesturing. They moved toward the couch but she stopped them. "Not there, over there." She pointed to the other couch against the far wall.

Ami tore her gaze from Makoto and sank into the cushions. She glanced up after Rei was seated beside her, but Makoto was staring at the floor. Her foot and leg were splinted and bandaged to above her knee. She was wearing a loose shirt and Ami guessed there was more wrapping under it. She looked over at Minako instead. White gauze was visible at the hem of her tank top and her shoulder and throat were wrapped. Her jaw was bruised and puffy and Ami realized that tears were silently pouring down her face.

She looked back to the three figures watching them instead. "What did you want to talk to us about?" she asked shakily, not wanting to know the answer.

Artemis sighed and stepped forward. He seemed the most upset of the three of them. "We need to discuss the events of the last week." His voice sounded strained.

"Do you realize why you were brought to the Moon?" Luna asked sharply as she stepped up beside him. "Do you know why you were taken from your home planets and what you've been training for all of these years?"

Ami dropped her gaze guiltily. She felt Rei shift beside her. "To protect the Princess," the Martian answered quietly.

"And you have been doing that to the best of your ability?" Luna continued. "You have put her safety above all else, as was your duty?"

Ami looked up in time to see Makoto slump slightly. "We did protect her," she said in a small voice.

Setsuna walked in front of them and Ami shrank away from her. "You protected her after you put her in danger in the first place," she snapped. "Would anyone care to explain how that came about?" No one answered. "Fine then, Mercury," Ami lifted her gaze from her lap and met the accusing garnet eyes. "Would you care to explain why you refused to allow Jupiter to return to her home planet alone?"

"It was dangerous," Ami said immediately. "I'd done scans of the planet and seen how many of those monsters were there. If she'd gone by herself…" She trailed off, realizing the hole she was digging herself into.

"It was too dangerous," Pluto said slowly, "So rather than sending a platoon of soldiers with her you thought you should go instead?" Ami nodded miserably, returning to staring at her clasped hands.

"It wasn't just Ami," Minako pointed out, "we all went. We've been training together for years, we work better as a team."

"And the Princess?" Luna prompted.

"She could have stayed here-" Minako broke off abruptly.

"So you would have abandoned the Princess?" Luna asked incredulously. Minako shook her head but didn't speak.

"I see," Pluto said evenly. "What about this last trip?"

"That was my idea," Rei said immediately. "I convinced the rest of them to go, they were against it."

"So you thought that the best plan was to take the Princess with you?" Luna asked.

"No, I was going to go alone." she answered softly.

"After I directly ordered you not to," Artemis said dully.

"Yes, sir," she responded shakily.

"It was Serenity's idea to go there," Makoto pointed out angrily. "She saw how upset Rei was and came up with the idea."

Setsuna stared at her with her mouth slightly open. Finally she nodded, as though settling some internal debate. "I see. Do you remember sneaking out for the Princess's birthday?" She looked between them and they nodded. "Do you know why the Queen wasn't upset about it?" They were silent again. "Do you remember what I asked you when you returned?"

Minako let out a sharp breath. "You asked us whose idea it was."

"And do you remember what you said?"

Ami looked up and waited for her to answer. She'd never heard this part, since she'd been passed out by that point. "We took the blame ourselves."

Pluto nodded and continued to stare at them. "When that happened," Luna picked up, "the Queen took it as a sign that you would protect her daughter. That you would be loyal to her above all others."

"The Queen always believes the best of people," Artemis mumbled, more to himself than to them. It still hurt.

"We are loyal to the Princess," Makoto said finally. "We've always tried to protect her. But we protect each other, too. Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that why you forced us together for all these years?"

The cats seemed a bit taken aback by her venom, but Setsuna didn't even flinch. "We wanted to create an elite fighting force to protect the Princess. We forced you to be comrades, we didn't force you into each other's beds." Ami looked away sharply, blushing slightly.

"It doesn't matter now, anyway," Luna said evenly. "As of right now, your loyalty is to be first and foremost to the Princess. Your bonds to each other will be those of comrades-in-arms and friends, but nothing more. Do you understand?"

Ami couldn't believe what she was hearing. _How could they do this? How can they expect us to stay away from each other, after everything we've been through. How can they expect us to be loyal to any of them after this? _She swiped angrily at a tear, refusing to answer or look at any of them.

"You don't have to-" Minako began, but Pluto wouldn't let her finish.

"We are no longer discussing this, Venus," she snapped. "Do you understand?" Ami looked up in time to catch her nod once. She could practically feel her heart breaking when Makoto nodded as well. "Mercury? Mars?" Ami nodded, trying desperately to keep her composure. Rei must have agreed as well, because a moment later Lady Pluto strode out, leaving the room in stunned silence.

"I will ask that you don't mention the details of this to the Princess," Luna said over her shoulder as she walked out.

Rei was the first to stand. She strode out without a word followed shortly by Makoto. Ami looked up to find Minako had drawn her knees up to her chest and was sobbing brokenly. She dropped her gaze to Artemis, who was watching the blonde in concern. "I'm sorry," he said softly, glancing between them. "It's for the best…"

Ami stood and looked down at him. "I certainly hope that's true," she said coldly. "You're gambling with very high stakes." He opened his mouth then closed it again. Without another word she left.

-Minako-

Minako sat on the edge of her bed, toying with a gauzy red scarf. She held it to her face and inhaled deeply; it still smelled like Rei's hair. Her vision started to blur and she blinked several times. She carefully slipped it through her own hair, knotting it into a bow. She stood slowly, still stiff from her injuries after a week.

The past week had been nothing short of torture. Every meal was an awkward affair. She and Makoto had traded chairs so that none of them were next to or directly opposite the ones they loved. Serenity was deeply concerned by their behavior, but hadn't been able to wheedle a reason from anyone. _At least, since we're still healing, we haven't needed to train._ She had absolutely no desire to see Pluto or the cats.

They had all managed to spend most of their free time away from each other. Ami had been spending long hours in the palace library, so they only really saw her at breakfast or dinner. Rei had been visiting the hospital in the village daily, presumably keeping her generals company while they healed. Makoto had been in the village constantly as well. More specifically, at the large construction site on the western edge of the village where the Jovian refugees had been hard at work building a small settlement.

Minako had been wandering the castle aimlessly or else spending long hours sitting alone in her room, brooding. She sometimes felt as though she should find something productive to do, like the others, but she simply didn't have the energy for it.

She started for her door, planning on a few hours of wandering, when it opened of it's own accord. Artemis appeared uncertainly in the doorway. "Yes?" she said stiffly, folding her arms across her chest. He was being the kindest of the three, but she still wasn't feeling well-disposed toward him.

"Minako, you've got some visitors," he informed her. "I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but they're in the entrance hall." He disappeared and she frowned after him.

"Who the hell would want to visit me?" she muttered under her breath as she stalked moodily through the halls. When she emerged in the entrance hall, however, her bad mood evaporated. "Eros? Adonis, what are you doing here?" she cried, rushing toward them.

They enveloped her in a warm hug and she nearly cried with the relief of seeing a friendly face. "Everyone else is outside," Eros said cheerfully. "We've already spoken to the Queen and she told us where we could set up."

"Huh?" Minako looked between them blankly.

"She didn't tell you?" Adonis asked in surprise. She shook her head and he shrugged merrily. "Oh well, now you know. Come say hi to everyone!" They each caught one of her hands and led her through the village away from the palace.

It felt wonderful to be outside again, she hadn't left the castle in days. She took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled. She would have skipped if she wasn't still sore. When they reached the eastern edge of the village she gasped. Several hundred brightly colored pavilion-style tents were spread out across the plain. "What's going on?" she asked in amazement as she stared around.

"We're defecting," Eros said simply. "That awful woman is still hanging around the city, so we spread the word that we were staying loyal to the Empire and anyone who wanted to could join us." They strolled leisurely through the small village, watching as people set up stands and stages or decorated the areas around their tents.

People shouted greetings to them as they passed, and some offered wares that had barely been unpacked. "I can't believe this," Minako said happily. "I can't believe you're here."

"You haven't seen the best part," Adonis said, gesturing ahead. They passed the last row of tents and Minako's jaw dropped. A large area had been roped off with brightly colored ribbons and several hundred leather clad soldiers were doing morning drills. "This means Venus will still be part of this fight," he said cheerfully, "we'll be at the council meeting today!"

"Today?" she said faintly, still watching the fighters.

"Where the hell have you been, sis?" Eros said with a laugh. "It's in about an hour. Do you want to stay and have lunch with us? I bet you've missed Venusian home cooking," he joked. She smirked at that. Venus was known for it's drinks not foods, most of their meals consisted of foods that didn't need to be cooked at all.

"Sure," she giggled. "Then we can go up to the meeting together."

They passed the next hour in idle chatter, lounging on cushions with their feet soaking in a cold pool that someone had brought. They'd been picking at a plate of cold meats and passing around a bottle of wine when a small boy came running up to them.

He was panting heavily and swept his wavy brown hair out of his face before bowing deeply. "Sorry to bother you, but are you the diplomats from Venus?"

"Yes," Eros said as he stretched lazily. "Why?"

The boy narrowed dark green eyes at them. "Our Queen sent me to find you and request that you come to the palace."

Minako groaned and sat up, pulling her feet from the cool water. "Thank you, we'll be up shortly," Eros sighed before turning away from the young Jovian. "I lost track of time," he said sadly, once the boy had scampered away.

"Me too, I forgot how comfortable everything from Venus is," Minako admitted sheepishly. There were murmured agreements from the circle. She eyed her boots critically before grabbing a pair of sandals from a small pile of spares. "I'm borrowing these," she informed the group as she laced them on, "I'm not putting on boots when my feet are wet." They chuckled as they made their way to the palace. Eros and Adonis, as well as two advisors, had been selected to attend the meeting. Minako had decided that she might as well join them. _I'm still a Princess of my own planet, after all._

They were the last to arrive in the meeting hall. They took their places in the open chairs next to the group from Mercury, most of whom rolled their eyes at their late entrance. Minako was a little surprised to see that Ami was sitting with them. Her computer was open on the table and she was talking quietly to the others. Across from them, Makoto was looking slightly uncomfortable. She was wearing her green cloak and had a crown of leaves in her hair. The Jovians were all quiet and tense, and some of them shot the blondes irritated looks.

Minako felt her heart skip a beat when she glanced across the table at the Martians. General Deimos still had bandages covering her face and her arm was in a sling. General Phobos was looking pale, and crutches rested against his chair. However, when they looked toward Rei, their eyes both glittered with pride. She wore her black armor with her crimson cloak thrown over her shoulder, the Martian insignia shining. She flicked her gaze over them and paused for a moment when her amethyst eyes met Minako's, but she gave no other sign that more people had entered the room.

"Now that we're all here," Lady Pluto paused significantly, "we can get started."

Eros huffed softly beside Minako. She sent a haughty glare at the woman. Artemis and Luna were sitting on the table and Haruka and Michiru were sitting behind them. She frowned slightly, noting that Princess Serenity hadn't been included.

Queen Serenity smiled around the room and her gaze fell on Minako and her group. "First of all," she said warmly, "I would like to thank the diplomats of Venus for coming here today. For those of you who don't know, Prince Eros and his retinue have joined us here on the Moon along with many others who wish to remain loyal to the Empire." She inclined her head to them and he smiled brightly.

"Secondly," she continued, "I would like to welcome Queen Makoto of Jupiter and Queen Rei of Mars to the council of Planets. I have no doubt that you will be a great asset to us as well as your people." Makoto blushed and smiled nervously. Rei straightened slightly in her seat and inclined her head to the Queen. Minako forced herself to stop staring at her, instead looking down the table to where the Mercurians seemed bursting to speak.

Queen Serenity raised an eyebrow at them and the Mercurian Queen stood to address the room. "We have been discussing ways to combine the strengths of our planets," she said immediately, watching the three new rulers carefully. She seemed almost shamefully happy to not be dealing with the previous rulers. "My planet has not had a standing army in many centuries, as you know, merely honor guards. Our strength is our technology. Given the heavy losses sustained in the recent unpleasantness, we would like to trade our help for the strength of arms of Mars and Jupiter."

Makoto glanced at Rei before turning back to Mercury. Minako noted that she kept her emerald eyes focused solely on the Queen. "What sorts of technologies could you offer us?"

Mercury looked toward the Martians. "For one thing, we've made major advances in prosthetics and medicine. I understand there were quite a few serious injuries for both your planets." Makoto and Rei both nodded, thinking this over. "Also transportation, communication, even advanced weapons and armor if you need it."

"What would you want from us?" Rei asked.

The Queen narrowed her eyes slightly. "Protection. Soldiers. I want my people to be safe and that means we need someone around who can kill these creatures." She smirked across the table, apparently not offended by Rei's bluntness. Minako smiled softly, then caught herself and returned her attention to Mercury.

"I think that could be arranged," Makoto said, looking over at the Martians, who nodded.

"Excellent," Mercury said brightly. "Now to the next issue."

"Earth?" Makoto asked quickly.

To everyone's surprise, she looked down the table to the blondes. "Venus," she said coldly.

Eros frowned. "I don't know what you're implying, but the High Queen just told you-"

"No, my apologies," Mercury said quickly, obviously familiar with Venusian sensitivity. "Not you, but your planet." Minako looked past her to Ami. She was frowning and staring at her computer screen, but her eyes weren't moving. "You see," the Queen continued, "Your planet is very rich in resources. More so than the rest of ours combined. Now that Earth has allied with them, well, you see the problem…" She trailed off significantly.

Eros looked around at his retinue, earning confused looks. Minako shook her head, unsure of where this was going. She looked across the table to where Rei was frowning at the bluenettes. "What do you want to do about it exactly?" she growled.

"The only logical thing we can do," she said, her tone condescending. "Using a seismic wave generator, we could initiate catastrophic volcanic activity on the surface to cleanse the dark energy from the planet." She looked around with a smug smile at the blank looks around her.

"She wants to cause all the volcanoes on your planet to erupt at once," Ami supplied tiredly, still not looking up. "The ash would kill everything and everyone."

"What? How could you even suggest something like that?" Eros asked incredulously. He stared around the room at the other diplomats.

"That's the only thing you can think of?" Rei snapped, glaring at the woman. "What about the innocent people on that planet?"

"Your people were the ones who wanted to destroy Earth last time this council met," she pointed out. "How is this different?"

"Because the people of Venus didn't do anything!" Rei growled, clenching her fist on the table. "They were scared and made a bad decision, they're not the ones starting all of this."

"It seems to me that we can't afford to let Earth strengthen it's position any more," Makoto said slowly. "I mean, we saw how many of those monsters just popped up when we were there."

It seemed that the meeting was about to go in the same direction as the last one Minako had witnessed. She sighed heavily and dropped her gaze to the table. "Isn't there a way to save some of the innocent people, at least?" Eros said in a small voice.

"Not unless you sent your troops back to collect them," Mercury said indifferently. "Do you have the strength of numbers for that?"

"No," Eros's voice was barely above a whisper and he slumped. Minako knew he was thinking of their small encampment by the village and the several hundred soldiers who would surely be slaughtered if they tried to go back.

"We do." All eyes in the room turned to Rei, who had stood to address them. "We could send troops down to which ever places are most likely to have large numbers of civilians."

"But your army is down to half strength," Makoto reminded her sadly. "Less than that, from helping us…"

Rei glanced at her generals who both nodded. "We've still got more troops than anyone else. As long as we can do it quickly, before they find out what we're up to, it should be fine."

There was a long silence as everyone thought the proposition over. Finally Eros said softly, "You would do that for us?"

A ghost of a smile touched Rei's lips as she turned to him. "My people would lay down their lives to protect the people of the Empire." Minako remembered Rei's father saying something similar to hers, although it was in a less friendly manner.

"We could help you," Ami piped up, looking up from her computer for the first time. "We can find out where the concentrations of dark energy are so you could avoid them. You could use our transport ships too since they're faster and can carry more people. We could also equip you with faster ways to communicate…" She trailed off and blushed at the attention. "If you want, anyway," she said quietly.

Rei gave her a half smile then turned to the Queen. "Your daughter's plan sounds solid. If you would like, my generals can speak to you to work out the details." She nodded and smiled tightly.

Minako looked across at Rei, trying to convey with her eyes how much she loved her and how much she appreciated what she were doing for her people. Rei met her gaze and smiled softly, holding her stare until Minako's eyes began to fill with tears again. She smiled to herself, though, knowing that the Martian still loved her. _I'm still hers, _she thought to herself, _I always will be._


	25. Passing Time

A/N: Hello everyone, sorry for the long delay. My life has been a little more crazy than usual. Things are coming to a head soon so be sure to let me know what you think! Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Rei-

-1 Rei carefully straightened the clasp that held her cloak, her thoughts far away. She'd left the planning of the attack to her generals, since her first responsibility was still to the Princess. She'd gone through a range of emotions over the past week and a half, finally landing solidly on anger. It was a comfortingly familiar feeling that she'd been holding on to. Anger at the people of Earth for being the source of all this misery and death. Anger at Lady Pluto, Luna and Artemis for forcing them apart. Anger at herself for her failure. The Princess was the only one who was safe from her wrath. After all, she'd done nothing but try to help.

She also couldn't be angry with her fellow guards. She strode to her nightstand and slipped the strip of yellow cloth from the drawer. After all this time it was worn and faded and it still had the faint blood stains, but she would never get rid of it. It was a part of Minako that she could keep close to her. _The only thing they can't take away from me_, she thought bitterly.

She wrapped it around her wrist and carefully tied it in place before slipping her gauntlet over it. The black leather hid it from view and she smiled as she buckled it tightly. _They can't stop me from loving her_, she told herself, feeling a little better. Minako, on the rare times they'd seen each other, always wore the red scarf in her hair. _She's holding onto me too_. With that thought, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway.

Serenity was the only one in the common room when she entered. A slight frown formed, but she forced it away and offered the Princess a small smile. "Where is everyone?" she asked casually.

Serenity pushed her empty plate away and smiled back. "Ami's in the library, Makoto's at the building site, and Minako's at the Venus camp," she said immediately, ticking them off on her fingers. "What are you doing?"

"My people are arriving today," Rei said with a shrug. "I thought I'd go down to the port and greet them." Serenity gave her a blank stare and she sighed inwardly. Not for the first time, she lamented the fact that the Princess was kept in the dark about what happened around her. She squashed the flare of anger toward Lady Pluto and gestured the blonde to come over.

"Can I come with you?" she asked excitedly as she scurried around the table to stand next to her.

"Sure," Rei answered, offering an arm that the Princess immediately latched onto. As they walked she decided to explain the situation, whether they wanted the Princess to know or not. "We're sending our troops to Venus tomorrow to pick up the rest of the people staying loyal to the Empire. Since we're sending the entire army, we don't want to leave the rest of our people unprotected at home so we arranged for everyone too young or old to come here. Mercury is helping us out with transportation. We're essentially evacuating the entire planet."

She nodded, wide eyed. "So are you going to build a camp like Venus?" she asked when they reached the path that led to the port.

"Hopefully not too much like theirs," a wry voice answered. They both turned to see the Martian generals approaching them. "All those bright colors give me a headache," Deimos joked, giving them a lopsided grin.

Rei chuckled with them then stopped when her gaze lowered to Phobos's leg. "What…?"

He grinned and leaned heavily on his crutches so he could reach down to his pant leg. He raised the cuff to show off the silvery metal of the artificial leg. "The Queen of Mercury sent a bunch of their doctors here yesterday," he explained happily. "I'm still getting used to it, but they said I'll be able to walk on it soon."

Rei smiled and grasped his shoulder briefly. "Good, the army needs you."

Serenity dropped her arm and rushed forward to hug him. "That's so exciting!" she squealed. Rei had to smile at the identical looks of shock on the Generals' faces as she released him.

Deimos cleared her throat nervously. "So… have they arrived yet?" At that moment, the distant roar of engines sounded. They all looked up to see dozens of transports hovering far above their heads. They spent the better part of the morning greeting each group as they arrived. Everyone was directed northeast of the village, where a huge open plain had been staked out for the campsite.

After the last shuttle had emptied Rei and the others meandered to the eastern edge of the village. Rei couldn't help but wince slightly at the sight that greeted them. They'd come out at the edge of the Venusian encampment.

It was bustling with activity, but not anything particularly useful in Rei's opinion. People were gathered around several stages where street performers were putting on shows. Others were bunched around what looked like shallow pools surrounded by pillows. More were simply milling around without any clear destination. There was a blinding array of colors, and the combined voices were at a near deafening pitch.

Deimos grunted in displeasure and Phobos's eyes narrowed. Serenity seemed like she was considering joining the excitement, so Rei caught her arm gently and started walking again. "I think our area is a little farther north," she grumbled.

They'd almost reached the edge, where a large area was roped off with bright ribbons. She assumed it was some sort of training area, but it was currently abandoned. A shouted greeting stopped them in their tracks as three blondes hurried toward them. The sudden tightness in her chest told Rei who the center figure was before she'd gotten a clear look.

They stumbled to a halt in front of them, all barefoot and slightly flushed. "Hello Princess Serenity," Eros said breathlessly, resting his hands on his knees. "Queen Mars."

She nodded to him in acknowledgement, then started to turn away. She wasn't up to facing Minako yet. Her choices were taken, however, when the girl smiled shyly at her. "Where are all of you going?" she asked, still panting slightly.

"The Martian army just got here," Serenity answered happily. "We're going to visit their camp." She grinned at the three excitedly. Rei shifted uncomfortably as Minako's eyes strayed to where the Princess held her arm.

"The army is helping set up for those staying behind, before they leave for Venus tomorrow morning," she clarified.

This sobered the three blondes slightly. "I can't possibly thank all of you enough for what you're doing for my people," Eros said with a formal bow.

"Sure," Deimos said shortly. Phobos jerked a shoulder in a half shrug.

"Is there anything we could do to help?" Adonis asked, smiling brightly at them. "We could send over some drinks! Or maybe some entertainment…"

"No, that's alright," Rei said quickly, "We should be going." He looked slightly deflated by the refusal. She sighed softly and added, "But thank you for the generous offer." He grinned at her.

"Well, just let us know," Eros said as he waved and the two men turned back the way they'd come.

Minako stood awkwardly, not quite meeting anyone's eye. "Princess Serenity," Deimos said finally, "Have you ever seen a Martian war camp?" She shook her head and grinned when the general offered her arm. "Allow me to explain how everything works." Serenity took her arm and followed, chattering excitedly.

Rei threw them a grateful smile then turned back to Minako. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Better. You?" Rei shrugged. Minako took a half step closer. "I hate this," she said in a shaky voice. She caught the edge of her crimson cloak and played her fingers along it.

Rei sighed and pulled her into a hug. Minako clung to her tightly and they simply stood there for a moment. "I'm leaving tomorrow," Rei said into her hair. She felt her stiffen and pull back enough to meet her eye.

"You're going to Venus with them?" Tears were threatening to fall from the cerulean orbs.

"No, I'm going to Mercury with Ami," Rei reassured her. She ran a hand through the silky blonde hair. "General Deimos is going with the army and general Phobos is staying here to oversee the camp."

"Why are you going to Mercury?" she asked, tightening her hold slightly.

"Talking over strategy. They want Ami to go because they want her help with some weapon designs. Since we're going to be stationing a garrison of troops there, the Queen thought I should go too."

Minako seemed to think this over before cuddling back against her neck. "Am I going to see you before you leave?" she whispered. Rei shook her head sadly. Minako pulled back again so their faces were only inches apart. "Be careful. Promise you'll come back to me."

"I promise," Rei breathed as the blonde leaned closer. Minako pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Then their eyes met and before either of them fully realized what they were doing, their lips had crashed together passionately. In the back of her mind, Rei knew they shouldn't. They were going against a direct order in a big way. But as she teased Minako's mouth open with her tongue, she couldn't bring herself to care.

-Makoto-

Makoto moodily threw her blankets back and swung her legs off the bed. Ami had stopped by late the night before to tell her that she was leaving. She'd known that the other girl wouldn't still be with her in the morning, but it was still an upsetting feeling to wake up alone. She sighed heavily, grateful for the few hours they'd had at least.

She pulled on pants and a loose green shirt, then slipped two javelins into her belt. She eyed her staff, but decided to leave it for now. Instead, she clipped her communicator to her belt. She slipped on one boot and eyed her plaster-encased foot in irritation. She'd been told it could come off in a few more days. She retrieved her crutch from beside the bed and hobbled out to the common room.

Minako was alone at the table, picking halfheartedly at her breakfast. Makoto sat heavily across from her and wordlessly filled a plate. A while later, the door opened and Serenity came bounding in. "Good morning," she said cheerfully. She sat down with them but ignored the food.

Makoto raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you going to eat, Serenity?" she asked in surprise.

The Princess grinned at her. "I already did," she informed her. "I've been up for a while."

"Really?" Minako said somewhat skeptically. "What have you been doing?"

"I went down to the port with Ami and Rei," Serenity answered. "They left for Mercury today, remember?" Makoto sighed heavily and pushed her half eaten breakfast away. Minako was staring at the tabletop sadly. "So what are you two doing today?"

"I don't know," Makoto said heavily. "I thought maybe I would go to the construction site."

Minako raised her head. "How's that coming, anyway?"

"Let's go see it!" Serenity said excitedly. "We could go visit all the camps today!" She started to bounce in her seat, waiting for their reply.

"Sure," Makoto replied. "We might as well."

Minako nodded and stood up. "It'll give us something to do," she said resignedly. Makoto nodded and Serenity jumped to her feet.

They'd made it as far as the door when it opened and Luna stepped in. "Where are you three off to?" she asked suspiciously.

"We were going to take the Princess on a tour of the camps," Minako answered stiffly. "Assuming that doing so wouldn't violate our duties in any way," she added acidly.

Luna's eyes widened in surprise at the tone. "That's perfectly alright," she said quickly. "But don't you think you should get back to training at some point?"

"I'm still not cleared for it," Makoto supplied, indicating her cast.

"I know that, but Minako can still-"

"Please, Luna," Serenity pleaded, dropping to one knee to face the cat. "Just for today. It won't be as much fun if Minako can't come with us."

Luna sighed heavily and twitched her tail. "I suppose so," she relented. "Just make sure you're careful. Nowhere outside the palace is completely safe." She left before Minako had a chance to comment, although Makoto could see it on the tip of her tongue. She smiled to herself.

"I'm going to get my weapons," Minako said, eyes on the spot Luna had vacated. "Would you like me to grab your staff as well?" Makoto nodded and she disappeared out the door.

She leaned heavily on her crutch, waiting for the blonde to return. "She seems really tense lately," Serenity said softly. "Do you think she and Rei are fighting again?"

Makoto sighed, cursing the cats for forbidding them from telling her the truth. "I think she's just worried about Rei being on Mercury. I'm worried about Ami too."

Serenity nodded as she thought this over. "I tried to get them to let all of us go," she said finally. "I don't like it when we're not all together."

"Really?" Minako asked as she reemerged. She handed Makoto her serrated staff focused on buckling on her sword belt. "What did they say?"

"Mother said that I might be needed here," she answered, frowning slightly. "Then I said maybe I should stay with her and the four of you should go, but she said the two of you had to stay and guard me." She bit her lip, staring at the floor. Both guards were now watching her intently. "I'm worried about them, too."

The quiet admission hung in the air for a moment. Then Minako stepped forward and pulled the Princess into a hug. "They'll be alright, Serenity, they're strong." Makoto leaned her staff against the call to put a hand on Serenity's shoulder. Then Minako pulled back and grinned. "Let's get going, there's a lot to see today."

They made their way through the village toward the western edge. The blondes were keeping to Makoto's slower pace, chatting casually as they went. Makoto was glad that they were getting along again. Ever since the night they'd left for Jupiter, the two had seemed tense with each other. It was nice for things to be relaxed like they used to be. _If only Rei and Ami were here, it would be just like old times… _She pushed the thought away as they entered the Jovian camp.

It was a bustle of activity as always. Serenity and Minako stared around with wide eyes and she smiled proudly. Since their arrival, her people had been busy. They'd set up a lumber camp several miles out, harvesting the stunted shrubs that grew on the Lunar wilderness and carting them back for building material. Now, hundreds of thatched longhouses stood in neat rows.

"Wow, they've gotten a lot done," Minako breathed.

Makoto nodded and smiled when a small group of children ran up to them. "Good morning, your Majesty," they cried, bowing. They were all lanky brunettes, their ages ranging from five or six to around twelve. They stared at the blondes accompanying her with wide eyes.

"This is Minako, Princess of Venus and five hundred seventy ninth Goddess of Love," she said with a grin and a flourish. Minako blushed and inclined her head to them as they bowed hastily and stared adoringly at her.

"You're so pretty!" One little girl squealed excitedly.

"My brother said that Venus had the prettiest people in the Empire!" A slightly older boy informed them. Minako smiled brightly at that.

"You're really pretty, too!" One of them told Serenity. "Are you from Venus, too?"

Makoto laughed. "This is Princess Serenity. She's the Princess of the Moon." Their eyes widened in awe and they all dropped into formal bows again.

"It's nice to meet all of you!" Serenity said delightedly, dropping into a curtsy. "What are you doing today?"

"We're going to the greenhouse to help," One of the girls said importantly. "Do you want to come see it?" Her jade eyes danced excitedly.

"I would love to," Serenity nodded happily.

"We'll escort you, your Highness!" Several children converged on her and caught her hands, the others milling around as they shuffled her away.

Minako giggled as she and Makoto followed after. The greenhouse was Makoto's favorite part of the small settlement. It was an open air building with lattice-like pillars and a glass ceiling. There were boxes and boxes of seedlings and young plants. Serenity followed the pack of children as they explained all the different types of plant-life in the building.

"This is really nice," Minako commented, idly fingering a bud on an almost flowering plant.

"It really makes everyone feel better about being here," Makoto agreed, examining a small potted shrub. "We got the seeds from the palace gardeners. A lot of the plants in the royal gardens are from our planet." Minako nodded and they passed a leisurely hour strolling quietly through the rows.

Finally, Serenity found them again. She was slightly breathless, but smiling happily. "They're so sweet," she said, indicating the children who were now scattering toward various tasks. "So, should we head to the Venus camp?"

"Actually," Makoto said as they started back toward the village, "I haven't seen the Martian one yet. Would you want to stop by there?"

Minako nodded, smiling with a far away look in her eyes. "I saw it when they were first setting up," Serenity said as she led the way. "They didn't really want to talk though," she added, frowning slightly. Then she grinned again. "Maybe they will now!"

The Martian camp was dark and well organized, just like Makoto expected. Neat rows of tents stretched back into the distance, each one covered in rusty red canvas. There were fire pits evenly spaced among them. However, there didn't seem to be anyone there.

"Where'd they all go?" Minako asked blankly. Makoto scanned the area and saw several thin pillars of black smoke off to the right. They wandered toward them and as they got closer, the rhythmic clash of metal on metal began to sound distantly.

The source of the smoke turned out to be several smiths furnaces. The four Martians stopped working when they saw them approaching. Makoto eyed the racks of weapons and armor on display. "Wow, they've been busy," she muttered.

"Hi," Serenity called, waving at them.

One man doused the piece he was working on in a barrel of water then came around the table to greet them. The other three went back to their tasks. "What do you need?" he asked gruffly, pale purple eyes grazing over them.

"Where is everyone?" Minako demanded, resting her hand on the hilt of her scimitar. Makoto stifled a laugh. _She must have learned that from Rei_, she thought, noticing that the man was now only focusing on her.

"Tourney grounds." He jerked his head to indicate behind him.

"Which way?" She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him.

He turned and pointed vaguely to the right. "Follow this row to the end, you can't miss it." She nodded and strode off in the direction he had indicated.

"Thank you," Serenity called to him. He ignored her and returned to his table. She huffed indignantly as she jogged a few steps to catch up. "Well, he wasn't very friendly," she pouted.

Minako laughed and slowed her pace to walk between them. "You just don't speak Martian," she giggled, linking arms with the other blonde. Makoto rolled her eyes and they continued down the path.

Soon they came upon a vast crowd. It was made up mostly of small children and injured soldiers, although here and there a gray head appeared in the sea of black. "What's going on?" Serenity asked, wide-eyed. People were shouting and cheering, along with an occasional clash of metal. "Are they fighting?"

They made their way through carefully, until they were far enough in to see what was happening. There were several rings, each one encircled by scarlet ropes that were staked a foot off the ground. In the center ring, two figures circled each other. They both wore helmets with visors over their faces, but one had black hair down it's back, indicating a female. They raised their swords and lunged at each other. Makoto heard Minako gasp as they hacked viciously at each other.

"They're not wearing very much armor," Serenity whispered fearfully. Makoto studied them and nodded. They both wore short sleeved black leather tunics with sleeveless chain mail shirts. It reminded her of what Rei had worn when they first met her. Suddenly the crowd erupted in cheers as the short haired one fell, dropping it's sword and clutching their bleeding wrist. The winner raised their blood stained sword in the air and whipped off the helmet with the other.

Minako gasped audibly. "It's a little kid!" she whispered in shock. The victor, a little girl who couldn't be older than ten, grinned widely then stooped to help her opponent to it's feet. He removed his helmet to reveal a smooth, young face grinning sheepishly.

"They're too young for that!" Serenity hissed as the girl sheathed her sword. An old man, with a few wisps of black in his gray hair rushed forward and lifted her easily onto his shoulder.

"It's only to first blood," a deep voice said behind her.

They turned and Makoto smiled uncertainly. His crutches indicated that he was one of those left behind. "How are you, General Phobos?" Serenity curtsied then beamed up at him.

"I'm well, your Highness," he inclined his head to her. "What brings you over here?"

"We just wanted to see how everyone was doing," she said excitedly. "We just left the Jovian camp and we got to see their greenhouse, and after this we're going to go to Venus's."

He smiled indulgently at her, then lifted his pale purple gaze to Makoto. "We've never met. I'm General Phobos of Mars."

"Makoto, Pri-," she broke off awkwardly. "Queen of Jupiter. This is Princess Minako of Venus."

Minako smiled at him. "It's nice to see you again." He nodded in agreement. "So, you're having a tournament?"

He smiled again as he looked over to where two more small warriors were entering the ring. "Yes," he answered, "It takes everyone's minds off things. Also, it helps the egos of those two young to join the fighting. They can't be drafted into the army until they reach age twelve. You're welcome to stay and watch." He nodded politely to them then limped away into the crowd.

Makoto looked down at her companions. Minako looked slightly uncomfortable and Serenity was biting her lip. "So," she said, dropping her voice slightly, "Shall we head to the Venusian camp?" They both nodded fervently. With a small smile, she led the way through the crowd. They needed something to take their minds off violence for a while, and she was guessing that such a thing would exist at their next destination.


	26. Mercury

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Rei-

-1 Rei stared out the window behind Ami's head at the blackness of space. They'd taken a courier transport, since it was fastest. One of the Mercurians had offered to pilot it for them, so both of them could relax during the trip. _Not that we've really been relaxing,_ Rei thought wryly. Her gaze shifted to focus on Ami, who was staring at her hands.

She knew they were both having similar trains of thought. They'd never been separated like this, discounting the trip to Venus. It was unsettling for both of them. Her mind cast back to her brief meeting with Minako the day before. She smiled to herself, remembering the feel of her lips, the smell of her hair…

Ami chuckled softly and she shifted her focus back to the other girl. "Thinking about Minako?" she asked softly. Rei sighed and nodded. "Did you get to talk to her before we left?"

"Briefly, yesterday," she muttered. "What about you?"

To her amusement, Ami flushed bright red. "I- yea for, um, a bit," she stammered. Rei chuckled quietly. Ami shot her a look, then smirked. "I know we shouldn't have but…"

"I know," Rei sighed. "It's easier said than done, I guess." Ami mumbled agreement and the two of them settled into easy silence. Rei leaned forward slightly and was surprised by the sight in front of her. The sun was looming ahead of them, huge and blinding. She sat back quickly.

She blinked several times, waiting for her vision to return to normal. "Sorry, I meant to warn you about that," Ami said apologetically. "The pilot's wearing special glasses. Just don't look out the window until we're inside the sphere." She drew the shade behind her and Rei followed suit.

"Sphere?" Rei asked, keeping her eyes on the smaller girl.

Ami nodded. "We're too close to the sun for most of the year, so eight hundred years ago or so, the ancient scientists created the spheres. They're a series of shields that protect our cities and regulate life support by…"

She seemed to notice the increasingly blank stare, because she trailed off with a small smile. "It's complicated," she said instead, "but essentially, it keeps everyone safe and living comfortably."

"What would happen if it wasn't there?" Rei asked after a moment. After all, she'd never heard of such a thing and the other planets didn't seem to need anything like that.

"Since there's hardly any atmosphere left on Mercury after all these years, everyone would probably die," Ami answered matter-of-factly. "At least, in theory."

"Huh," was all Rei could respond with. She was glad she'd been raised on Mars.

"We're entering the air lock, your Highness," the pilot informed them. "We'll be touching down in the north-east sector in seven minutes."

"Is it safe to look yet?" Rei demanded irritably. She was now intensely curious about this strange planet. Ami laughed and nodded. She shifted so she could see around his seat. Frowning, she moved forward to get a better view. All she could see was lights. Thousands of lights spreading out in every direction.

She sat back and peeked around the blind behind her instead. Far in the distance, the edge of the sun was just visible on the horizon. It looked much larger than it should. She pressed her head against the glass to look up. The sky was shimmering in waves. It looked more like the surface of a dark lake. "What…?" she breathed.

She felt Ami press next to her. "That's the sphere," she explained. "The waves are harder to see from the ground. There's too many lights."

Rei nodded, momentarily lost for words. It was amazing. Indescribable. Suddenly she wished Minako was there, so she could share the incredible sight. She turned and sat back in her seat.

"Are you alright?" Ami asked quietly, sitting next to her.

"I just wish Minako could see this," she admitted.

"I know," Ami sighed and sat back. "I've told Makoto about this so many times, I wish I could show her…" They were quiet until the craft shuddered slightly, indicating that they'd landed.

When she stepped out, the first thing Rei noticed was the heat. The air felt thick it was so muggy, and she immediately broke out into a sweat under her heavy armor. The second thing she registered was the noise. There was a steady low hum, mechanical whirring and clicking, and the occasional roar of an engine. Rei gripped her sword hilt tightly, adjusting to the change.

Then she looked around and her jaw dropped. All around her were impossibly tall, shiny buildings. Many of them stretched so far that their tops disappeared into the rapidly darkening sky. "Wow…"

"Neat, huh?" Ami commented cheerfully. "This is the largest and most populated city on the planet. Come on, the train's this way," she added, nudging the stunned soldier.

Rei followed close behind Ami, keeping her eyes on the smaller girl's back. Her rifle was resting comfortably over her light blue cloak, and it's presence was a small comfort. They arrived at a station that was crowded with people. Rei pressed even closer to the other girl, trying not to lose her.

They stepped onto a vehicle of some sort, sitting atop a set of metal rails. There were no empty seats, but there were leathery loops hanging from the ceiling. Ami casually grasped one and Rei followed suit. Suddenly the ground lurched and nearly threw Rei to the floor.

"What happened?" she hissed, gripping her loop tightly with both hands.

"We're moving," Ami said distractedly. "The palace is five stops away." Rei grumbled to herself, casting an eye around to see how everyone else had reacted. To her annoyance, no one seemed to have noticed. It lurched again and she tilted precariously, still holding the loop for dear life. Several people left and several more entered, giving her pensive looks as they passed. She considered commenting to them, but the vehicle lurched again and she devoted her attention to staying on her feet.

She was starting to feel slightly ill by the time Ami announced that they'd reached their destination. Rei staggered to the exit and watched as the vehicle shot off down the rails a moment later. "Never again," she muttered to herself.

She turned away from the rails and found herself next to a small courtyard. The grass was short and almost too green. She stepped off the path and knelt to examine it. She ran her fingers over it, and found it unnaturally stiff and bristly. She grasped a few blades and tugged but they stayed firmly rooted in the ground. "What the…"

"It's not real grass," Ami said, observing over her shoulder. "The spheres are equipped with life support systems, so actual plant life isn't required. It's just for aesthetic purposes."

Rei decided to take her word for it. She stood up and glanced around again. "So, which way?"

Ami led them up a path toward a huge square building. It was shiny and many stories high, with countless windows. "This is the royal palace," Ami said, gesturing up at it.

Rei tilted her head back to take in the whole thing. "Built for function more than form, huh?"

Ami chuckled lightly. "I suppose the architects thought the fake grass was enough to look at. Until I came to the Moon, I didn't think anything of it." When they reached the door, Ami approached a kiosk that had a screen and keyboard on it. She typed something in and the doors slid open silently. So far, the palace was more eerie than impressive.

They stopped just inside the doors as a short man with gray streaking his blue hair approached them. "Welcome back Princess," he said quickly. "Welcome Queen Mars." He bowed slightly to her before turning back the way he'd come. "We've prepared your quarters, and once you're settled I'll escort you to the reception chamber."

"Thank you," Ami said politely, following behind. Rei followed behind, intrigued despite her confusion. He brought them to a suite of rooms and left with the promise of returning in twenty minutes. "So," Ami said once they were alone, "What do you think?"

Rei shrugged and walked through the area. Two bedrooms, a bath, and a small living room. The walls were a stark white and the floors were covered in rough blue-gray carpet. "It's fine," she answered vaguely. "We're not staying very long, right?"

Ami laughed, causing her to turn back to the other girl in confusion. "Things like comfort and décor aren't high on the list of priorities here. You should see the library, though…" Her voice took on a dreamy quality.

Rei raised an eyebrow at her, then turned into the closest bedroom. She set her travel pack on the bed and returned to the main room. Ami had disappeared into the other room, so she moved to stand by the window. From here, she could see the sky above the buildings. It still looked a little like rippling water, but not so noticeable as before.

Her hand flew to her sword hilt when someone knocked on the door. Ami emerged and strode forward to let in the man from earlier. Rei forced herself to relax as they talked quietly. Ami turned to her, frowning. "Your troops have just left Venus, with whatever refugees they could pick up," she informed her heavily. "Apparently they only suffered minimal casualties."

Rei bit her lip as she digested this information. "Now what?"

Ami sighed. "They're requesting our presence in the meeting room. We're about to set off the seismic generators. Whoever's left on that planet will be dead in a few hours."

-Minako-

Minako sighed contentedly and snuggled deeper into the pile of cushions. However flawed her people were, there were some things that they'd gotten perfectly. She played her feet lazily through the cool water, feeling completely at ease.

"Minako." She cracked her eyes open to see Makoto passing a bottle to her. She took it gratefully and drank deeply. Then she leaned forward enough to pass it to Serenity, who was lounging on her other side.

"Thanks," she giggled, taking the bottle. "I can't believe that This is what you've been doing every day, Minako," she scolded lightly before taking a drink. They'd been lounging at the cold pool for hours. Several performers had come and gone, keeping them entertained. Once they'd heard about Princess Serenity's generous tipping habits, they'd all wanted a turn.

"I wonder if they're there yet," Makoto commented, tilting her head back to watch the sky.

"How long does I' take ta get there?" Serenity asked. Her words were just beginning to slur together.

"I think Ami said three or four hours with the courier," Makoto responded, waving her hand vaguely in front of her.

"Mmm, where'd that plate a cheese go?" Serenity sat up and blinked several times before looking around.

Minako smiled and closed her eyes again. If that was right, they'd have been on Mercury for several hours already. They were scheduled to arrive back on the Moon early tomorrow. _Maybe we can go meet them at the port in the morning,_ Minako thought sleepily. Her mind wandered to the day before. _I miss kissing Rei… Among other things… _She felt a wicked grin forming on her lips.

"Thinking dirty thoughts?" Makoto inquired, chuckling lightly.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Minako giggled, not bothering to open her eyes. She drifted off to sleep imagining warm arms wrapped around her…

"Makoto!"

She sat up quickly, looking for the source of the shout. There was a buzz of static and Ami's voice returned. "Minako! Can… hear me?" She jumped to her feet and ran to where she'd set her belt. Makoto was digging frantically in her pile of cushions.

"What's wrong?" Serenity cried, staring around in panic.

Minako ignored her as she wrestled her communicator from her belt. She pressed the light blue button. "Ami? It's Minako. What's wrong?"

Makoto and Serenity crowded close to her, their own communicators gripped tightly. "Ami are you there?" she tried again when there was no response.

There was a moment of static then Ami's disjointed voice came through. "…out of range… tell Queen Sere… an attack"

Minako shook the communicator in frustration. "Are you alright? I can barely hear you!"

"…the sphere… crack… tell the Queen…"

She looked up at Makoto, who's emerald eyes were wide in shock. "There's been an attack there?" she said in a choked whisper. "How is that possible, I thought they were scanning for those things."

"We should find my mother," Serenity said tearfully. "They might be in danger."

_They're under attack and we're just standing here! _The thought ripped through Minako's brain and her head shot up. "Go to the palace," she ordered them. "I'm going to the hospital. It's closer and I can call the Queen from there. We'll meet up after."

They nodded and started the agonizingly slow walk back. She knew Makoto couldn't run in her condition, but she could still protect Serenity if she needed to. Minako turned and picked up her belt, buckling it on as she started sprinting toward the village. Her shoes were still by the pool, but she barely noticed her bare feet pounding against the hard, uneven ground. Her only thought was Rei.

It seemed to take forever to reach the hospital building. People shot her confused looks as she threw the doors open and looked around frantically. A blue haired woman stood at a reception desk, watching her curiously. She ran up and tried to catch her breath.

"Can I help you with something?" the woman asked in a voice of practiced calm.

"I need to contact the royal palace," she shouted, "There's been an attack!"

The woman's dark blue eyes widened. "Certainly, follow me," she said as she hurried down a side hall. They entered a room with several other Mercurians lounging around a table. She ignored them as she rushed up to a computer much like Ami's. She typed something in, then stepped back. "Go ahead, the channel's open."

Minako stepped up to it hesitantly. "Hello?" she said tentatively.

A white cat appeared on the screen, looking confused. "Minako? What's wrong?"

"Artemis, thank the gods," she cried in relief. "There's been an attack, Ami just called me. Where's the Queen?"

Artemis stared at her in shock, then shook his head quickly and disappeared. "I'll go get her," his voice informed her.

She stood uncertainly, staring at the scene of an empty room on the screen. Then she lifted her communicator and pressed the button. "Ami?" There was no response. "Ami are you there?" She swallowed heavily and stared at the small device.

It buzzed to life and she almost dropped it in surprise. "…ok for now… Mina…"

"Rei! Rei are you alright?" She didn't know whether to laugh or cry as her heart flooded with relief at hearing the low, familiar voice.

"…a crack… on our way to… we'll call…" Then it went silent again.

Tears were clouding her vision when the large screen in front of her flickered to life again. However, it wasn't the Queen she was facing, it was Luna and Lady Pluto.

"Venus, what's happening?" Luna demanded.

"Ami called me, there's been an attack on Mercury. She wanted us to tell the Queen." She choked back a sob and continued. "They just called me back, so I think they're okay for now. They said something about a crack."

She heard shuffling behind her and several blue haired healers crowded close to her. "Did you say that Mercury's been attacked?" one of them demanded. She nodded tearfully, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"Minako, listen to me," Setsuna said slowly. "Come back to the palace immediately. Where are Makoto and Serenity?"

She vaguely registered that Lady Pluto was using their real names and it caused her panic to increase. "They're on their way to you already. How bad is it? Will they be okay?"

She saw them exchange a look. "Just hurry back to the palace, we'll talk once you get here," Luna said soothingly. Before she could respond, the screen went black.

"Hello? Luna?" she cried harder and slammed her fist on the keyboard. "Damn it, answer me!" She dropped to her knees, sobbing with her forehead on the edge of table.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Young lady," a man said hesitantly. She was pulled to her feet and deposited in a chair. "Drink this," the man said gently, pressing a glass into her hand.

She obeyed automatically, the cool water flowing comfortingly down her throat. She scrubbed at her eyes and looked at the pack of healers around her. "I have to get back to the palace," she said weakly, setting the empty glass on the table.

"Your feet are bleeding," an older woman said softly. "Let's get you patched up first. There's nothing you can do from the Moon, anyway." She nodded, past the point of resisting. Only one thought was in her head. _Rei. Rei is being attacked and I can't help her. She's stuck in a strange place, in danger, without me._ She felt the tears start again and swiped irritable at them. Instead she focused in the sharp pain of whatever they'd just poured into the cuts on her feet. She watched numbly as they wrapped bandages around them, then slipped loose white shoes over them.

"So, what did your friend say happened?" one of them asked, once she had calmed slightly.

"I couldn't hear all of it," she admitted. "I think we're too far away. She said there'd been an attack and something about a crack… and a spear?" She hadn't been able to make sense of what Ami had told her, but it had seemed important. _Maybe the creatures were armed with spears? That would make them more dangerous, I suppose…_

"Are you sure that's what she said?" The younger man asked tensely. She looked up at him in confusion and nodded. Several people gasped. "That's impossible," he whispered. The older woman sat heavily in a chair opposite her.

"What does it mean?" Minako asked hesitantly. "Do they have weapons now?"

"Weapons?" he repeated blankly. Then he seemed to realize what she meant. "Not spears, spheres. The life support spheres of our planet. If one of them is cracking…"

"How could that have possibly happened?" someone else asked.

"Why would they make up something like that?" someone else countered. "We need to try to contact them."

"Can you do that?" Minako asked quickly. The receptionist nodded quickly and moved to the computer she'd just used. "Alright," Minako stood up again, "Try to contact someone. If you find out anything, contact the Lunar palace immediately. I'll let them know to have someone standing by." she started out the door, then stopped and turned back to them. "Thank you."

-Ami-

Ami stared numbly around her. The room they were in wasn't huge, but the numerous large computer screens made it feel that way. Rei was standing quietly next to her, staring at one a little to their left. In the bottom corner in large print were the words 'Venus'. The screen was split, the top half showing an energy scan similar to what they'd seen of Jupiter. Bright red dots were milling around on the map, but they were moving much slower than they had before. The reason for this was shown on the bottom half of the screen. It showed a satellite image of the surface of the planet. It was updated every three minutes, so it currently showed the area around the royal city. A splotch of black was covering most of the city with a hint of bright red in it's center.

She tore her eyes away and looked at the other screens instead. One showed the ruins of Uranus. It appeared that most of the cities had already started to disappear into the sand, only bits and pieces of taller buildings were visible. Neptune was much the same, except the cities were slowly being washed away instead of buried. No one was left of either planet except the Princesses and a handful of refugees on the Moon.

She noticed that no one was watching those two screens. The screen of Mars had also been deserted. A single chair sat forlornly in front of it. The image showed an overhead view of a rusty red landscape and dark buildings. The scans confirmed that there was nothing left on the red planet, no people or monsters.

She scowled at the Earth screen, not bothering to study it. Half a dozen technicians were carefully monitoring the situation, anyway. Instead she let her gaze continue to wander, stopping briefly on Mercury. Everyone near that screen had turned to watch the destruction of Venus.

She was about to turn back as well, when something caught her eye. She frowned slightly and took a few steps closer. There was so much activity on these screens that she wasn't sure if she'd even really seen it. Not only did the scans of her home planet show dark energy, they also showed tracking devices, trains and transports, and a number of other things. Then she saw it again and gasped.

Rei was by her side in an instant. "What's wrong?" she demanded, eyes darting around the room.

Ami grabbed her wrist and pulled her along as she strode up to the Mercury screens. She waited, studying it intently. "There!" She cried, pointing to the map readout. A point of blood red was flickering in and out of visibility as other colors overlapped it.

The attendants turned back hastily as her yell got their attention. "Filter out everything but the dark energy scans," she snapped to the nearest technician. He hastily scooted forward to obey the command. As he typed, different colors on the map winked out of existence. The pale green of Persons of Interest. The light purple of the trains. The light blue of inter-sphere communications. As each color disappeared, one became increasingly visible across the city. Red.

Her eyes flew over the map, studying where the creatures were. Most of them were moving in the same direction. "They're following the train tracks," she murmured almost to herself, "There's more in the industrial district. Where are they all going…"

Rei growled softly beside her. "It looks like they're headed toward that big thing to the south," she said close to Ami's ear, pointing.

Ami narrowed her eyes and followed Rei's finger. "Plot the courses of one in sector 23A, one in 17C, and one in 8F," she said sharply. "Triangulate the common point." She waited, hardly daring to breath as the technicians typed furiously. Suddenly straight green lines appeared through three of the red dots. They intersected directly on top of the building Rei had pointed to.

Her mother gasped sharply from behind her. "Send all available guards to the industrial district," she said in a surprisingly calm tone. "Pack up any equipment that is easily transportable, particularly the scanners. Radio ahead to the ports, tell them to ready the fleet."

People scurried from the room to do her bidding. "Your Majesty," a young technician approached her hesitantly. Ami turned to watch him as well. "Most of the fleet isn't here. They're on their way to the Moon from Venus."

The Queen shot a scathing look at Rei. "Then call them back!" she shouted. "Call them back and have everyone deplane when they arrive and send them-"

"No!" Ami yelled over her. She stepped between them, but she addressed the tech instead of her mother. "Radio the port and have them call all AVAILABLE ships to the city," she said firmly. "Then call the other ships and tell them to return immediately, but ONLY after the Martian army and Venusian survivors are safely back on the Moon."

He narrowed his eyes in undisguised revulsion at the Queen, before turning to Ami. "Yes, your Highness." He bowed deeply to her and fled the room.

"How dare you," her mother snarled, taking a step closer to you. "How dare you usurp my authority in such a situation."

Ami felt fury rising within her. "How dare I? How dare you!" She moved so she and her mother were face to face. "Are we really such a cowardly and self absorbed people? You were about to sacrifice the lives of all of those people! Those people have been fighting and dying to help the people of the Empire! What have any of us done that we deserve to live more than them?"

"Those people are barbarians!" Her mother screamed. "Just because you've lowered yourself-"

Ami didn't realize she'd slapped her until the sting of her palm registered in her brain. She opened her mouth but couldn't think of a single thing to say. She shook her head sadly, met her mother's angry gaze briefly, then turned and walked away.

As soon as the door closed behind her, she started running. "We need to get our things and get out of here," she called over her shoulder to Rei. "They're going toward the Industrial district, to the power center. We can't let those monsters reach it."

She sprinted into her room and threw her pack over her shoulder. Quickly she sheathed her knives and picked up her rifle. When she came out, Rei was hastily stringing her bow. A quiver of arrows hung at her hip next to her knife. She straightened, pulled the string slightly to check it, then nodded once.

"Follow me, stay close." They wound through the corridors, pausing occasionally to check for any potential threats. When they finally exited the palace, Ami heard Rei gasp. Hitting the hot night air was like running into a wall. Even she wasn't used to it any more. She slowed their pace, mentally going over the map from earlier. "They were on the tracks," she said softly as she heard a train approaching. She debated, then turned away from the boarding station. "The scans showed full dots so they must be in their shadow form. I don't know how much safer we'll be on foot."

Rei didn't say anything, but she could hear the girl's slightly ragged breathing behind her. Ami stopped several blocks away, considering the different routes. They weren't far from the industrial district. "Most of the factories and warehouses are the same size," she muttered, thinking out loud. "If we can't stop them it's a fairly straight shot to the port…" Making up her mind, she turned to the nearest building.

"Come on, we're going up," she said as she slung her rifle onto her back again. Rei nodded, still panting from the thick air. She climbed carefully onto a trash compactor and jumped from it to a low hanging ladder. From there she went up the two flights of the fire escape and emerged on the roof. Rei staggered up next to her and bent over slightly, clutching a stitch in her side.

She looked around, considering. The buildings here were about the same height and no more than six feet apart. Mercurians valued uniformity more than aesthetics. _In theory,_ she reminded herself, grimacing. _But it's the best chance we have of seeing them in time._

She started forward at a jog and jumped to the next building without difficulty. Rei didn't even hesitate as she did the same, landing lightly beside her. They moved from rooftop to rooftop, sometimes without trouble and other times stumbling painfully. Finally, the power center was in sight. The many lights of the city illuminated the streets, but they appeared to be deserted. She stared down intently, waiting. Then a shadow passed below a street light. A shadow that wasn't being cast by anything as it slid along the ground past them.

"Come on," she breathed, straightening and continuing along the path. They reached the edge of the last building before the power center. The center itself was a huge building with masses of wires spreading out from it in all directions. It was at the very edge of the city and the shimmering waves of the sphere were just visible behind it. She looked down desperately as she raised her rifle to her shoulder.

Rei dropped to one knee beside her and knocked an arrow. She pulled the string taut and waited. Ami saw a shadow slide into view and as it approached the building it rose up from the ground. Just as it had formed a head and shoulders a sharp twang sounded beside her. In the same moment, feathers sprouted in it's neck. It screamed in agony then fell forward and lay still.

Several more slid to the spot where the first had fallen. She waited until one started to rise and squeezed the trigger. A flash of light illuminated the ground as it was splattered against it's fellows. She shot again and again. Her ears were ringing slightly and she almost couldn't hear the twang of Rei's bowstring. She could only see the monsters falling one by one, either with arrows sticking in them or gaping holes on their bodies.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed there, she was only aware that the street below was littered with black corpses. Then, a long wailing cry echoed through the night. She saw the creature making the sound and obliterated it.

"Shit," Rei whispered beside her. "It saw us." She glanced over to see Rei fire her last arrow into a monster approaching the door of the power center. There was a slap of leather as the Martian drew her sword and knife and stood.

"What are you doing?" Ami hissed, turning to the other girl.

"It saw us," Rei repeated, turning away from the building they were defending. Ami followed her gaze and gasped. Three of the creatures had materialized behind them and were slowly advancing.

She raised her rifle and fired at the center one. It staggered back, but didn't fall. "What…?" She looked down at the weapon and her breath caught. "I'm out of power," she gasped. She slung the now useless rifle over her back and drew her long knives.

She and Rei stood shoulder to shoulder, braced for the attack. Then a strange sound reached her ears. A swift snap and a twang, almost like Rei's bowstring. Slowly she turned toward the source of the sound and she froze. One by one, the power lines were snapping on a transformer and it was tilting toward the power center. "Don't try to fight them, just get past," she whispered urgently to Rei. "We need to get off the roof." Rei nodded and crouched slightly. "Now!" she shouted.

They sprinted at the creatures, ducking around them at the last second. She felt one graze her arm and threw herself forward. She rolled slightly and struggled back to her feet, ignoring the burning pain near her elbow. She saw Rei leap the gap in front of her and stop. She jumped, but didn't have enough momentum to get all the way across. There was a dull clang as her armored chest hit the edge and she scrabbled desperately at the flat rooftop. Rei was on her knees in an instant. There was a clatter as she dropped her weapons and caught her by the wrists. Ami's elbow screamed in protest as she was dragged over the edge but she ignored it.

She reclaimed her knives the moment she was over and struggled to her feet. A loud groan of metal signaled the fall of the transformer, even though she couldn't see it behind the creatures that were approaching from the next roof. "Get down!" she cried, dropping and pulling Rei with her.

She threw her arms over her head and closed her eyes. Through her eyelids she saw the bright white light a second before the sound of the power center exploding reached her. The force of the explosion blew over them, throwing them perilously close to the opposite edge of the roof. A split second after they'd lifted their heads, a deafening crack echoed around them. It was so loud, it shook the building underneath them. She twisted to look behind her and gaped. A bright blue crack had appeared in the wall of the sphere. It was sparking ominously and slowly spreading upward.

"Oh my god," she breathed. She struggled to her feet and turned to Rei, who was staring at the crack in confusion. "We've got to get back to the port!"

She ran to the edge of the building and looked down. She could barely see from the dim glow of the emergency back-up lights, but she spotted a fire escape off to their right. She sprinted down it, bypassing the ladder to drop down to the street. The impact was jarring but there was no time to stop. As soon as Rei was next to her, she started toward the port.

"What should we do?" Rei panted as they emerged from the dim alley. "Do you think they realize what's happened?"

"I don't have time to get my computer out," Ami responded, keeping her eyes focused ahead. She was mostly going off memory since she couldn't see anything outside of the small pools of emergency lights. They rounded a corner onto a wider road and Ami thought desperately as she ran. _They need to know the sphere is cracking. We have to evacuate the city, but there's no way to communicate with- _She gave a strangled cry of triumph as she slipped her communicator from her belt. She pressed the center button, praying that one of them had their's with them.

"Makoto!" she yelled, not breaking stride. There was no response so she tried again. "Minako, can any of you hear me?" she cried desperately.

She held it tightly, waiting. Up ahead she could see the dark outline of the palace. She veered left, toward the space port. "Ami… Minako…" came the broken response, surrounded by static.

She gave a short laugh. "They can hear us! Just barely, but they can!"

"… you there?"

Ami hastily pressed the button again. "I know we're out of range, but if you get this tell Queen Serenity there's been an attack!" They skidded to a halt at a dark intersection. She turned to Rei, panting heavily. "The port's up there. We can either take the stairs to the train or-"

"…Alright? I can barely…"

She hastily pressed the button again. "Listen, the sphere is cracking! You've got to tell the Queen!" She lowered it and looked around frantically. "Follow me, the trains won't be working."

They ran down the street to a crisscrossing ramp that ascended to the upper levels of the city. She could barely breath as she struggled back and forth up the ramp. It seemed to take forever to reach the top and when they did, they were forced to stop and recover for a moment. She leaned on the railing and looked back. The entire city was blacked out, the dots of back-up lights didn't help when looking down at the tall city. In contrast, without the lights, the waves of the sphere were clearly visible. The only evidence that the crack was there came from the occasional flash of blue sparks. She had no idea how much time they had before the differences in pressure caused the entire dome to collapse_. _She didn't want to devote any thought to the question.

Her communicator crackled with static, but no other sound could be heard. Ami stared at it, still gasping for breath. A moment later the static sound returned. "Ami… there?"

Rei took the device from her unresisting fingers. "We're okay for now, don't worry Mina just call the Queen." Rei's chest was still heaving from the run, but her voice was surprisingly steady.

"Rei! Rei…"

The Martian smiled softly at the device in her hand. "Mina we're okay but there's a crack in the sphere thing. We're on our way to the port and we'll call once we're on a ship." She handed it back to Ami, who clipped in back onto her belt.

"Alright, ready?" Ami met the determined amethyst eyes and smiled. Rei smiled back and nodded. They resumed the run, trying to pace themselves for the remaining distance. They had to stop several more times before they reached the port. It was clogged with people who were milling in panic.

Ami stared around desperately for a moment. "Your Highness!" someone shouted. She turned and saw the same young technician from earlier. He bowed hastily then caught her hand. "Are you alright? You're bleeding."

"We're fine," she panted. "The sphere is cracking."

"We know," he answered as he led them both forward. "We received a transmission from the Moon about thirty five minutes ago. Come on, there's a transport waiting."

"What about everyone else?" she demanded weakly. She felt close to collapsing from their run. "Have you started evacuations?"

He nodded, still tugging her forward. "Yes, your Highness. Several people volunteered to stay behind and operate the air locks from the generator's in the palace."

Ami stared at the back of his head. "What?"

"Since the main power is out," he explained hurriedly, "We can't operate the locks from here. Several people volunteered to operate them so we can get the ships out, and so they can lock the channels between spheres."

Ami's mind raced. _Not that many people know how to do that_, she thought desperately. "Who?" she asked hoarsely, even though part of her already knew the answer. The sorrowful look he gave her confirmed her suspicion.

He ushered her onto a transport and bowed again before disappearing back into the crowd. She leaned heavily against the wall for a moment, then straightened and strode down the short hallway. This style of ship had rows of seats all facing the same direction. It had a small medical station and kitchen, but no private rooms. It was designed to carry as many people as possible.

She found two empty seats near the back and sat down heavily. Rei unclasped her bow from her back, then collapsed beside her, wheezing slightly. She balanced the weapon between her feet, resting against one knee. "Who was it?" she asked softly.

Ami glanced over at her, then down at the rifle sitting in her lap. She set it on it's end beside her before speaking. "My mother. She's one of the only ones who knows how to run the equipment. I just can't believe she would do something like that…" she finished in a whisper.

"People can surprise you," Rei said gently. She placed a hand over hers and Ami gratefully leaned against her, laying her head on her shoulder. As the ship lifted off, Rei shifted slightly and brought her communicator to her mouth. "Mina, we're coming home," she said. She dropped it into her lap and Ami felt Rei rest her cheek lightly on top of her head. She cuddled against the soft crimson cloak and closed her eyes. Almost immediately, she fell asleep.


	27. Return

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

-Makoto-

-1 Makoto sat on one end of the couch, her mind wandering. Occasionally, she would turn and glare at the table where they'd placed all three of their communicators. The last transmission they'd received had been over four hours ago. 'Mina, we're-' was the only part they'd heard, the rest had been drowned out in static. They'd tried several times to call back, but had received no answer.

Serenity was sitting on the opposite side from her. She was hugging her knees to her chest, with her chin resting on them. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, and now she was simply staring bleakly at nothing. Minako had been pacing around and around the common room. None of them had spoken since shortly after the last message.

Makoto shifted slightly to look out the window. _They're alright_, she told herself for what felt like the millionth time. _Someone would have told us if they weren't. We would feel it. Something…_

She jumped when the door opened. Makoto felt her stomach clench when Queen Serenity stepped into the room. Luna and Artemis trailed after, looking solemn. Minako stopped pacing and Serenity lifted her head to watch them.

"We've had some news," the Queen said slowly. "The central life support sphere of Mercury collapsed about four hours ago. It seems that they weren't able to operate certain emergency safety measures in time, so the other domes collapsed as well. No one who remained on the surface after that time survived."

The Princess gasped softly and Minako collapsed into a nearby chair. "Were…" Makoto forced herself to speak around the growing lump in her throat. "Are Ami and Rei…" She choked back a sob and couldn't finish the question. _They're okay, they have to be. I know they are._

"We don't know for sure. We were told that the Queen of Mercury was seen boarding one of the transports, so we're hoping that those two were with her," Luna answered.

"How many transports made it off the planet?" Minako asked softly.

"Fifteen," Artemis said immediately. "There's a good chance…" He trailed off and took a few uncertain steps toward her.

She stood and walked quickly to the table to pick up her communicator. "How far away are they?" She addressed the Queen this time. "Is there any chance we could go to the port?" Makoto got to her feet slowly and limped over to stand by her, watching them expectantly.

The Queen bit her lip lightly and looked past them to her daughter. Serenity immediately stood to join them. She nodded, smiling sadly. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything," she said finally. She turned and left, Luna close by her heels.

Artemis lingered in the doorway, watching them. "Are you sure you want to?" he asked gently. "We don't know for sure…" He dropped his gaze and turned away. "Never mind. I'll inform the gate guards that you'll be going."

They were silent until he was gone. "Do you think they're okay?" Serenity asked tearfully. Makoto couldn't meet her gaze.

"I think so," Minako said firmly, even though her eyes were filled with tears. "I think we would feel it if they weren't."

They gathered their things and started out of the palace. Makoto sighed softly, lamenting the slow pace she was forced to keep. She glanced at the two subdued blondes beside her, trying to think of something helpful to say.

"Where do you think Setsuna is?" Serenity asked abruptly.

"No idea," Makoto answered sourly. _The less I see of that damnable woman the better._

"Because she knows some things before they happen," Serenity explained. "She didn't come with my mother to talk to us. That makes me think that they're-"

"Don't," Minako said sharply. Makoto glanced at her and she bit her lip guiltily. More gently, she added, "Let's just wait and see."

When they finally reached the port, it was a bustle of activity. Apparently the Martian army had just returned, along with the refugees from Venus. They lingered on the edge of things, watching quietly. Ship after ship landed, mostly full of dark haired warriors. Apparently they'd been unloading people for the last hour. Makoto wandered to where a pile of crates had been stacked and sat heavily on a low one. The other two perched on nearby ones and waited.

It was nearing evening when the last of the new arrivals had been hustled toward the Martian and Venusian camps. "I suppose the Mercurians are going to set up a camp somewhere, too," Makoto commented.

"Probably between you guys and the Martians," Minako agreed vaguely. Then she gasped and stood up, staring at the sky. A number of new ships had just dropped into view.

Makoto stood up carefully and the three waited with bated breath as the first one touched down. The door opened and moments later a number of blue haired people in various states of stress poured onto the plaza. Two more touched down and the rest hovered above, waiting their turn. She stared over the heads of the crowd, almost all of whom were shorter than her, but didn't see the raven hair that would indicate Rei.

The next set landed after the first three left in the direction of the hangars. They didn't move or speak as they kept a close watch on the crowds. _She'll be here. They'll both be here and they'll be ok…_

Then she saw a flash of crimson. She gave a strangled cry and rushed forward as fast as she could. "Ami!" she screamed over the crowds. "Rei!"

The crowds parted just enough for her to see them rushing toward her. If she hadn't been propped up on her crutch, she was sure her legs would've given out. Ami ran straight to her, almost knocking them both over as she latched onto her. Through a blur of tears, she saw Minako take a flying leap and land in Rei's arms.

"It's alright," Ami said softly as she pulled back. "It was scary for a minute, but we're fine." She turned and wrapped one arm around Serenity, keeping the other at Makoto's waist.

"We didn't know if you'd made it before that thing broke," Serenity wailed, burying her face in Ami's shoulder.

Ami frowned, looking between them. "What do you mean?"

Before they could explain, Minako and Rei joined their circle. Rei slung an arm around the shoulders of the two blondes and smirked. "So I guess we gave you a bit of a scare?" She looked up at Makoto, apparently confused by the fact that they were so upset.

"They said the dome already collapsed," Ami said to her over Serenity's head. "It must have happened faster than they expected."

At the sound of her voice, Minako looked up from crying against Rei. "Ami!" she cried, throwing her arms around the smaller girl's neck. "We thought- we didn't know…" She sobbed brokenly.

"Let's get back to the palace," Rei said, rubbing Minako's back comfortingly. Minako straightened and latched onto her free arm. Rei kept her other arm around Serenity and steered them both toward the gates.

Makoto fell into step behind them, still holding Ami protectively against her. "So what happened?" Ami asked quietly. "When Rei called and said we were on our way back, did you think we meant we were still trying to get to a ship?"

"All we heard was 'Mina we're'," Makoto said flatly. "Not exactly comforting." Ami made a noncommittal noise. "The part where we tried to call you back and didn't get an answer was what scared us. Especially when the Queen said the dome had collapsed at around the same time that we got Rei's call."

"You tried to call us back?" Ami looked up at her in surprise. "That's funny, we didn't hear anything." She continued walking in silence for a moment. "I'm pretty sure that the only reason we were able to get through to you at all was because the communications center in dome three boosted my signal. I can't imagine why it would suddenly stop unless-" She stopped walking abruptly, causing Makoto to stumble slightly. "What exactly did the Queen tell you happened?"

Makoto frowned slightly, unsure of what they'd already heard. "That the domes col-"

"Dome or domes?" Ami interrupted, watching her carefully.

Makoto looked away. _She doesn't know_, she thought sadly. She sighed softly, then met the azure stare again. "Domes," she whispered. Ami's mouth dropped open. "The Queen said that they didn't have time for emergency…" she trailed off as the smaller girl's eyes filled with tears. "She said that the Queen of Mercury was on one of the transports, though," she added, hoping to cheer her slightly.

It had the opposite effect. Ami's face fell more and she turned back toward the castle. "That was me," she said as she started walking again. She stopped a few steps away and waited for Makoto to catch up. When she did, she hesitantly hugged Ami to her. She didn't know what else to say. Thankfully, words didn't seem to be necessary any more.

-Rei-

Rei carefully sheathed her sword and knife, then tied her quiver onto her belt. She grabbed her communicator from her bedside table and headed out the door. In the hallway, she almost ran into Minako who was just exiting her own room.

"Hey," she said softly. The blonde turned and flashed her a radiant smile.

"Hey, you," she replied, falling into step beside her. Rei looked sideways at her, admiring the short white tunic she wore. Her hair was tied back with the red scarf and Rei smiled slightly. "What are you up to today?"

Rei forced herself to stop ogling and watch the hall in front of them. "Getting arrows. You?"

Minako shrugged and linked arms with her. "Nothing. Do you want some company?"

"Sure," she said as she led them out of the palace. The sun was shining brightly and the village was bustling with activity. "How have you been?" she asked after a long silence.

Minako shrugged and looked up at her. "Not too bad, I guess." Rei nodded and they continued to the northeast, toward the Martian camp. "Where are we going?"

"The smiths are set up on the edge of our camp," she answered vaguely. Minako was still watching her so she clarified. "I lost all of my arrows on Mercury."

Minako nodded. "Could you kill them with arrows?"

Rei nodded distractedly as they entered the dark camp. "They have the same weak points as people. If you shoot them in the head, they die." She felt Minako shudder beside her and automatically wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The blonde leaned into her as they walked.

They passed a hunting party who had apparently just returned from the Lunar wilderness. They had several dozen animals supported on sticks between them. Rei nodded to them and they all paused to incline their heads as they passed.

Minako chuckled and Rei shot her a quizzical look. "Sorry," she giggled, "I was just thinking. I don't know what my people are going to do when the stores they brought with them run out."

"Your people don't hunt?" Rei asked in surprise.

"Not really," she admitted. "We don't really cook either. They did just set up a small brewery, though," she added with a sheepish grin.

Rei snorted. "At least they know their priorities." Minako pulled away to punch her in the shoulder before returning to her side. Rei chuckled and wrapped her in a one armed hug. "I'm sure they can come trade up here if they need to, we wouldn't mind."

They reached the small market square. There were four smiths set up, along with several tanners and fletchers. They approached the nearest fletcher and Rei looked over the small stand. A barrel of feathers stood in the corner next to a rack of neatly organized tools and a stack of wood. The fletcher, a short woman with toned arms and deep purple eyes, tossed her hair over her shoulder and nodded to them. "Your Majesty."

Rei eyed the rows of arrows and bolts lining her shelves. "I need three dozen long arrows." She pulled her bow from her back and set it on the counter so the woman could find the right size.

"Sure," she replied gruffly. She turned the bow over in her hands, examining it, then handed it back. For a moment, she perused her shelves, muttering to herself. They she grabbed three bundles and laid them on the counter. With practiced ease, she untied them and held one out for Rei's inspection.

Beside her, Minako snatched it and looked it over. "These are really pretty," she cried. She ran a finger along the red and black feathering, smiling broadly.

The fletcher cleared her throat, obviously unsure how to handle the situation. Rei sighed softly and took the arrow back, rolling her eyes at the slight pout Minako's lips had formed. "These will be fine," Rei said, counting out ten silvers and laying them on the counter.

The fletcher gawked at the coins, then lifted her dark gaze to Rei. "Y-your Majesty," she began.

Rei wouldn't let her finish. She held up a hand for silence. "Please, I insist." The woman nodded, still wide eyed, and bowed low.

"What was that about?" Minako whispered once they'd moved away.

"That's a little more than what they're worth," Rei admitted quietly. "Also, they don't like to charge me for anything." She carefully loaded the new arrows into the quiver and they started back toward the palace.

They had just reached the edge of the village when Minako tugged lightly on her arm. "I have a better idea," she said with an impish grin. Rei shot her a dubious look but allowed herself to be led to the Venusian camp instead.

They stopped beside a shallow pool that was surrounded by brightly colored cushions. Minako stooped and began to untie her sandals. "Um, what are we doing?" Rei asked, averting her gaze from the blonde's form.

"We, my tense little Martian, are relaxing for a while," Minako informed her with a grin. Rei raised an eyebrow at her. She just continued smiling as she undid her belt and dropped it on top of her shoes.

"Relaxing how?" Rei managed in a slightly choked voice. "We're not supposed to-"

"Hush," Minako purred, placing a finger on Rei's lips. She leaned close and undid her sword belt, slipping it off and placing it beside her own. Rei swallowed nervously as the blonde unbuckled her gauntlets. "You can't relax in all of this," she insisted quietly. She pulled off the leather gauntlet and smiled softly at the strip of yellow cloth tied under it. Rei cleared her throat, trying to stop the blush she felt forming. Minako didn't comment, however, she merely smiled wider as she began removing the black plates of armor. When she had the other girl down to her sleeveless black top and loose pants she stepped back. "Off with the boots, too," she ordered.

Rei bit her lip and did as she'd been told. She placed them neatly beside her armor and stood awkwardly, unsure of where this was going. "Here, sit," Minako patted one of the cushions. She glanced around quickly, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to them. The cushion was surprisingly soft and Rei allowed herself to sink into the soft material. Minako settled next to her and stretched her legs out so her feet were immersed in the water.

With a slight smirk, Rei rolled up her pant legs and followed suit. The cool water felt heavenly on her sore feet and she allowed a sigh of pleasure to escape her lips. "Come here," Minako said softly. She pulled Rei down so she was curled in her lap with her feet still in the water. She smiled as Minako began gently kneading her shoulders and neck.

"That feels amazing, Mina," she breathed, closing her eyes. She felt the other girl chuckle softly and allowed herself to relax under her lover's strong hands. Eventually, she fell asleep.

-Ami-

Ami made one last sweep through the rows of domed tents. The survivors of her planet had finished erecting emergency shelters and were beginning to devote their attention to setting up the equipment that had been salvaged. Much of it had been divided between the port station and the hospital, but it had been decided to set up the scanning equipment inside the Lunar palace.

She got to the edge of the village and sighed heavily. Her restless wandering wasn't enough to take her mind off of the events of the last few days. She bit her lip, then turned and started toward the hospital.

She hadn't made it very far, however, when a familiar giggle caught her attention. She turned and saw Makoto and Serenity making a bee line for her. She forced a smile and waited for them to reach her. "I got my cast off today!" Makoto cried as she approached. She skipped a few steps to demonstrate.

Ami felt an actual smile tugging the corners of her mouth for the first time since she'd returned. "That's great, Mako," she said sincerely. "What are you two up to?"

"We wanted to see how your people's camp was coming," Serenity answered brightly. "We thought maybe we could help."

Ami chuckled softly. "They're finished with most of the set up, it's just technical work now."

The Princess's face fell at that news. "I doubt we would be much help with that part," she said sadly. Then she grinned. "Do you want to go visit the Venus camp? You haven't tried their pools yet, have you Ami?"

"Pools?" Ami replied, mystified. Serenity caught her arm and nodded happily. "I didn't think Venusians would be interested in something as strenuous as swimming."

"It's not that kind of pool," Makoto said with a grin. Ami shrugged, still feeling moody and sullen, and followed them across the edge of town. As they passed the Martian camp, she glanced over. As usual for the time of day, it looked deserted. She assumed most of them were at the sparring grounds. She returned her gaze to Makoto's back and followed quietly, not really listening to the animated chatter of the other two.

Less than three thousand people had survived from Mercury, all of them from the central city. She'd been told that after the dome had fallen, the others had depressurized almost immediately. _At least it was a quick way to die_, she thought sadly. After all the time she'd spent recently tending battle wounds, it was a small comfort.

"They're already here," Serenity said, bringing her back to the present. She looked up and saw that they'd stopped beside a shallow pool. Minako was smiling tiredly at them with Rei asleep in her lap.

"Hey guys," Minako said thickly. Apparently she'd just woken up.

"Mind if we join you?" Makoto asked, claiming one of the large cushions. "I can put both feet in this time," she added happily.

Rei lifted her head and blinked at them. "You got your cast off," she noted. Makoto nodded and grinned. The Martian offered a half smile, then dropped her head back to it's previous position.

Minako laughed lightly and gestured for the others to sit. Serenity immediately kicked off her shoes and hoisted her long skirt so she could drop her feet into the pool. Ami just watched with a slight frown. _How can they all act like nothing's wrong,_ she thought bitterly.

"Ami," Makoto said close to her ear. She glanced up and met the concerned emerald gaze. "Come relax for a bit, it might take your mind off things." Ami looked away sharply. "Just sit with me for a little while," she pleaded, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder.

Ami sighed and relented. She pulled off her boots like the others had done and sat on a cushion between Makoto and Serenity. The cool water was soothing she decided as she laid back to stare at the sky. Makoto scooted closer so she could rest her head on her shoulder. Ami rested her cheek lightly on top of her head and tried to relax.

"How's your leg feeling," she asked after a moment.

"Good as new," Makoto mumbled. She shifted to curl an arm across Ami's stomach. Ami nodded absently, staring up at the bright cloudless sky.

"That's good," Serenity said from her other side. "Two weeks is a long time to not be able to wash your foot." Minako snorted at that, but the comment got Ami thinking.

"You know, normally it takes a lot longer than that for a broken bone to heal," she commented. "We're just lucky we heal so fast."

"Why do we, though?" Rei asked. Ami glanced over to see her sitting up slightly. "My general still has her arm in a sling and she was hurt almost a week before Makoto."

Ami frowned, thinking back. "They did something when we first came here. Remember that first training session, when you three nearly killed each other?" She smirked at their guilty looks. "One of the healers told me that the Queen was going to do something to accelerate our healing rates. He didn't say what though."

"She used her crystal," Serenity answered casually. Ami looked over at her in confusion, but she didn't seem to notice.

Rei and Minako both sat forward slightly and Makoto pushed herself up on an elbow. "Crystal?" Ami prompted.

Serenity looked over at her and smiled. "The one she used on Venus, remember?" All four of them were now alert and leaning toward her. She looked around at them and frowned in confusion. "Didn't anyone tell you that?"

They shook their heads mutely. "It's called the Silver Crystal," she explained. "It's passed down to each queen of the Moon and focuses their powers I think." She frowned, clearly trying to remember more information about it.

"She used it to help us heal faster?" Makoto asked, glancing down at her leg.

Serenity nodded. "The powers of the Moon are healing and light. She used it on you four." She beamed happily at them.

"How does that explain what happened on Venus?" Rei cocked her head and frowned. "All I remember seeing was a really bright light and then those monsters were gone."

"And everything stopped," Minako added. They both watched the Princess expectantly.

"Setsuna was the one who stopped everything," Serenity explained. "But my mother used the crystal to get rid of the monsters, that's what the light was."

"Setsuna?" Makoto asked weakly. She seemed a bit dazed by the Princess's story.

"Lady Pluto," Ami clarified, comprehension dawning. "She rules the gates of time. She must have stopped it for us." Then she realized what she was saying and frowned. "That was really dangerous…"

"She was really mad on the trip home," Serenity admitted softly. "I didn't hear most of what she was saying since I was in the medical station with all of you, but she seemed really upset."

"Wait," Minako said quickly, "if your mother's crystal got rid of them, why can't she do it now? She could have gotten rid of them as soon as we found them on Earth."

Makoto stiffened at this. "Then they never would have attacked Jupiter. All of those people wouldn't have had to die." She scowled down at the rippling water.

Ami glanced between her and the Princess. Serenity bit her lip. "I don't think she could," she said sadly. "She was really weak after we left Venus. It took her almost a week to be alright again."

They were silent as they digested the new information. "Do you think there's anything that would be powerful enough to destroy them all?" Minako wondered aloud after a moment.

"Probably not without taking everything else with it," Rei responded darkly. All eyes turned to the Martian as she stared past them. "But in the end when it comes to that, they'll find a way."

Ami shuddered involuntarily and Makoto pressed closer to her. "Rei?" Minako asked softly, touching her shoulder. Rei jumped slightly and looked around at them. "What do you mean?"

Rei shrugged uneasily. "Just what I said. Something that powerful would probably take everything else with it."

"She meant after that," Ami said, watching her closely. "In the end?"

Rei's expression shifted to one of confusion. "End of what?"

"You just said…" Ami trailed off, not wanting to repeat the cryptic words. "Never mind. There's nothing to do right now but wait and see what happens." She looked over at Minako and the blonde nodded slowly.

"Well," she said in an overly cheerful tone, "I came here to relax and that's exactly what I'm going to do." She glanced around, then grinned and signaled a nearby vendor.

He hurried over and gave a hasty bow. "Something I can get for you Princess?"

"A bottle of your best wine, please," she said with a wide smile. She reached down and fished a handful of gold coins from her money bag. The vendor gaped at her then accepted the money with a low bow. "Also, could you send a few entertainers over?" He nodded and hurried away.

She smiled and sat back to curl against Rei's side. The Martian still looked uneasy, but she was apparently not going to press the subject. Makoto laid back as well, but Ami could feel light tremors coursing through her. Ami pulled her into her arms and Makoto rested her head against her chest, sighing softly. Rei's words ran through her head again. _'In the end when it comes to that, they'll find a way.' We already knew we didn't have very much time left_, she reminded herself. She tightened her arms around Makoto. _It's just a matter of what we do with it. _


	28. Power

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: And now the moment you've all been waiting for!

-Queen Serenity-

-1 Luna and Artemis paced restlessly on opposite ends of the table in the reception chamber. The Queen was resting on her elbows, staring out the window. She sighed softly and Artemis stopped to leap to the window ledge. He followed her gaze down to the training area. Serenity and her guards were down by the sparring ring.

He smiled to himself as he watched them. Rei had just charged Makoto and had been thrown unceremoniously over her head to sprawl in a heap in the grass. They were too far away to tell, but he could imagine the scowl on the Martian's face. Minako, Ami and Serenity were cheering from the sidelines as Makoto threw her arms up in victory. Moments later, Ami rushed forward and tackled the taller girl. Minako and Rei joined in and piled on top of the Jovian. Serenity laughed and, to his amusement, leapt on top of them all.

"They seem to be having fun," Luna commented from beside him. He nodded as they watched them struggle to their feet and begin a lively chase of the Princess.

"Yes, they do," the Queen agreed. She sounded sad.

"Your Majesty?" Artemis questioned softly. "Is everything alright?"

A single tear slid slowly down her cheek. "I received word from Setsuna this morning." They watched her with bated breath. "Princess Saturn has awoken."

Luna gasped and Artemis sat down heavily. "Is she certain?" Luna demanded, her voice taking on a desperate quality. "Maybe there's been a mistake…"

The Queen smiled sadly and looked down at them. "She is. It won't be long now."

"My Queen…" Artemis began in a choked voice. She ran a hand along his back.

"They need more power," she said resignedly. "They have to be able to protect her."

"How will you do that, your Majesty?" Luna pressed closer to them. She had tears in her eyes as well, because they both knew the answer to the question.

"I am going to awaken the powers of their planets. Haruka and Michiru as well." She stepped back from the window and held her hands out in front of her. A moment later the room was filled with a blinding white light. Artemis squinted to watch as the silver crystal materialized between her hands. He drew in a shaky breath as colors began to swirl around it. As they grew brighter he was able to distinguish six crystals forming around the central one: blue, red, orange, green, yellow and aqua. They all glowed brightly for a moment before winking out of existence. The white light faded as the Silver crystal returned to her and the Queen sat down heavily in the nearest chair.

The cats were instantly by her side. "Are you alright, your Majesty?" Luna asked hesitantly.

She smiled tiredly and nodded. "It is done," she said softly. "When they awake in the morning, their crystals will wake with them." She looked between them, her clear blue eyes shining. "Please explain things to them and help them understand. I need to rest now." They bowed low and watched as she stood heavily and left the room.

They stood silently for a moment, then Luna rubbed her face lightly against Artemis's neck. "Let's go down and speak to them."

He sighed and nodded. "Alright." He started to follow her, then stopped to glance back at the window. "Let's wait until tonight," he added. "Let them enjoy themselves a little longer."

-Rei-

Rei woke slowly and noted dimly that she was sweating profusely. Her room was sweltering and she scowled as she pulled her soaked sheets away from her body. Trying not to breath the hot air deeply, she ran a hand through her hair. Her palms felt hot. She glanced around the room and her gaze fell on the fire burning low in the hearth. A moment later it flared to life, causing her to jump back and fall off the bed.

"What the…" she muttered. Then she cast back to the conversation they'd had with the cats the night before. They had explained that the Queen intended to awaken the powers of their planets. They'd said that in the morning, they would manifest themselves. She gasped softly. "The fires of Mars," she whispered.

She turned back to the fire, a small smile forming. Concentrating, she stared at the blaze. It immediately flared into a raging inferno, then into nothingness as she forced it down. She laughed somewhat maniacally as she turned to the candles above the mantle. Raising her hand, she willed them to ignite. The flames immediately flickered into existence. She grinned as they brightened and the candles melted into puddles of wax that dripped onto the rug below.

The fabric began to smoke slightly and she rushed over to stomp out the embers. She smiled sheepishly to herself. "I'd better watch that," she muttered. "Wouldn't want to burn the room down with me in it…"

A crackle and a deafening boom sounded outside her door and she leapt forward, throwing her door open. The door opposite swung out and a ball of lightning soared toward her. She dropped to the ground and it crashed into the wall behind her. A moment later, Makoto emerged wide eyed. Her hair was standing on end and she was shaking her hands vigorously.

"Rei?" She frowned when she looked down at the prone Martian. "What are you doing down there?"

Rei scowled as she got to her feet, watching the taller girl warily. "Why did you do that?"

Makoto grinned. "I didn't mean to…" Rei gave her a dubious look. "My planet's power is lightning. Watch!" She raised her hands and Rei prepared to duck again. Instead an arc of electricity jumped between her palms. "Neat, huh?"

Rei smiled mischievously. "Very. Watch this." She held her palms up flat and concentrated. A moment later a fireball erupted from her fingers and shot toward the ceiling. They both jumped back as chunks of white marble rained down between them. "Oops," she whispered as she stared up at the smoldering crater above them.

There was a blast of frigid air as another door opened. Ami emerged, wrapped in several layers of clothes. She was shivering and looking at them both suspiciously. "What are you two doing?"

"Are you alright?" Makoto asked, rushing forward. She wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and immediately jumped back. "Ack! You're freezing!"

Ami rolled her eyes. "I know. My entire room is frozen solid and I can't get the fire in the hearth started."

"Do you need a hand?" Rei asked eagerly. She could feel the fiery power coursing through her body and was aching to use it again.

Ami glanced up at the ceiling and chuckled softly. "No thanks, I would rather have a cold room than no room at all."

Rei opened her mouth to comment, when a loud clang sounded behind Minako's closed door. She instantly ran forward and threw the door open. The sight before her stopped her in her tracks, however. Minako was lying on her bed, completely naked and giggling drunkenly. Rei had to duck to avoid the long chain that was spinning in lazy circles above her.

She turned her head slightly and grinned at her. "Look what I can do, Reiko," she said in a singsong voice. She moved her hands and the chain suddenly swung violently, crashing against the wall before resuming it's lazy circles above her head. "Metal," she giggled.

Rei shook herself from her initial shock and stepped into the room. "Minako, where are your clothes?"

The blonde let the chain drop to the floor beside her and turned on her side, propping her head up on an arm. Rei swallowed heavily, struggling to keep her eyes on her face.

"Oh, good she's fine," came a strangled voice behind her. Rei turned to find Ami blushing profusely with her hands over her eyes and Makoto staring firmly up at the ceiling.

"The element of Venus is metal, and the spirit of her planet is love," Ami explained from between her fingers. "It seems that they're both, um, manifesting at the moment…"

Rei growled softly and moved further into the room, picking Minako's yellow pajamas off the floor as she went. She knelt on the edge of the bed, intending to dress the blonde, then stopped as a sudden flare of desire shot through her. She froze, staring at the goddess before her. Her hands tightened around the soft material and her breathing quickened.

"Um, Rei?" Makoto's voice shot through her and she backed up, dropping the clothes beside the blonde.

Minako blinked as though she'd just woken up and glanced over. Her eyes widened as she noticed the others. "Makoto!" she squeaked, sitting up quickly. She blushed and quickly slipped into the shorts and tank top. Then her gaze traveled to Rei, who was standing stiffly by the wall. "Rei, are you alright?"

Rei felt her face flush as all three looked at her. _What's wrong with me? I was ready to jump her right there! I'm still kind of ready to… _She shook her head and pushed past Ami and Makoto out the door. Once she was past them, her head cleared and the blush deepened.

"Ami, what are the spirits or whatever of our planets?" she asked cautiously.

"Mine is wisdom," Ami said immediately. "Makoto's is courage and your's is passion. Why?"

_Passion. That explains that_, she thought wryly. A shrill cry jolted them from the conversation. Serenity was standing in her open doorway, staring at them as if they'd gone mad. "What happened?" she asked fearfully.

"Apparently, our powers have manifested," Ami supplied. "Last night when they explained it, I wasn't exactly expecting something like this."

Serenity nodded wide eyed and followed them to the common room. Makoto reached to open the door and a spark flew from the handle to her hand. She yelped and jumped back.

Rei chuckled and received a dark look from the Jovian. "Static electricity," Ami muttered just as Rei reached for the door. A spark jumped at her finger and she scowled at the offending handle.

"Let me," Minako giggled. She stared at the door and the handle turned of it's own accord.

They stepped inside and Serenity rushed past them to the table. "That was amazing, Minako!" she squealed excitedly. "What else can you guys do?"

Rei grinned and glanced at the candles around the room. Immediately, they flared to life and began to rapidly melt in their holders. "Rei," Ami scolded. A blast of icy air rushed past her and extinguished them all.

Minako held her fork in front of her and smiled as the tines began bending into tight furls. Makoto chuckled and the fork sparked, causing the blonde to drop the utensil. She glared at the taller girl and the entire pile of silverware lifted from the table and swirled menacingly around her.

"Hey now," Rei began, but Makoto pushed past her. She was grinning maniacally and passing an arc of electricity between her palms.

"Ahem!" The silverware clattered to the floor as everyone in the room jumped and turned guiltily. Luna stood in the doorway watching them. "I see you've all discovered your powers." They exchanged glances and tried not to smile. "After breakfast, I'll need all of you down at the training grounds." They nodded and she turned away.

Artemis eyed them all for a moment. "Also," he added with a barely contained laugh. "I don't know what exactly happened to the ceiling in the hall, but try to be a little more careful in the future." He left them to their meal and as soon as the door closed, they all burst into laughter.

-Minako-

Minako smirked to herself as she watched Artemis resignedly duck a fireball. His tail twitched as he turned to glare at a very sheepish Rei. "Sorry," she called from across the range. He shook his head and started toward her. Minako moved to follow him when a shrill yelp sounded behind her.

She turned to find Ami rubbing her hip and glaring at Makoto. "You shocked me!"

"I didn't mean to," Makoto insisted with a laugh as she jogged closer to Minako. "Not there, anyway," she added with a devilish grin. Minako smiled back, then caught sight of the enraged Mercurian advancing on them. She and Makoto threw themselves sideways, barely avoiding the wall of water that crashed toward them.

"Girls, what- ACK!" They turned just in time to see Luna take the brunt of the hit. The now soaked cat sputtered and shook herself. Minako caught Makoto's eye and she knew they were thinking the same thing: _serves her right_!

"Luna, I'm sorry," Ami cried as she ran forward. Minako caught the triumphant smile that the smaller girl hastily suppressed, and burst out laughing. She felt a sharp elbow to the ribs and covered her mouth to stifle the sound. She struggled to her feet and averted her gaze from the incensed feline. Unfortunately, her eyes met playful green and both girls dissolved into fits of laughter again.

"What happened?" Rei asked as she and Artemis cautiously advanced. Minako looked up, but couldn't form words since she was still laughing too hard. Rei raised an eyebrow at them, then looked down at Luna. "Oh, you got wet…" Her eyes suddenly held an evil glint as she raised her hands. "I can fix that for you, Luna."

"No," Luna squeaked as she backed away hastily, "Thank you, Mars but I'm perfectly fine. It was, um… refreshing." She retreated to the observation stands.

Artemis let out a soft chuckle and the four guards immediately spun to face him. He cleared his throat uneasily. "So, anyway, it seems you've all gained a measure of control over your elements," his voice wavered slightly at that and Minako knew he was trying not to laugh. "What I'd like to work on are things that would be useful in combat. Things like offensive and defensive attacks and charging your weapons."

Everyone perked up at that. Minako uncoiled her chain with a grin. "I think I can already do that," she said as she wrapped one end around her fist. She concentrated on the other end that lay limply on the ground. It instantly lifted and began undulating through the air like a golden snake. Without warning she shot it toward Rei. The Martian let out a curse and tried to duck but the chain wrapped around her waist and pinned her arms to her sides. Minako pulled her close and grinned.

"Pretty good," Artemis admitted, "but see if you can charge it now. You should be able to call on a light similar to the Queen."

"Really?" Minako asked in amazement, looking away from her prisoner to the cat. She turned back to the chain and found it glowing an unsettling red. "Hey, it's working!"

"Minako, I don't think-" Ami began, but didn't get a chance to finish as the blonde yelped and dropped her end of the chain.

"Serves you right," Rei growled as she shrugged off the coils. Minako gave her a wounded look and her expression softened. "Are you alright?" she asked, stepping closer.

Minako pouted and held up her slightly red hand for the Martian to inspect. "Aren't you going to kiss it and make it better?" she purred. A slight cough by her feet made them both jump back guiltily. _I keep forgetting we're not supposed to do that any more_, Minako thought sadly as she chanced a glance at Artemis.

"Well," he said uneasily, "let's head over to the ranged weapon area."

Minako nodded and followed the others. Ahead of her, Rei shot her a small smile over her shoulder and she grinned back

"I think that Mars and Jupiter will have the best results with using their powers for ranged attacks," Artemis said when they arrived. He sat down and watched them expectantly.

Rei picked up her bow uncertainly and knocked an arrow, then turned back to him. "Now concentrate," Artemis urged. "Imagine the arrow bursting into flames."

Rei turned to the target, then dropped her arm and turned back to them. "Won't that burn my bow, too?"

"It's not normal fire," He assured her. "Focus on what you want it to do, and that's what will happen."

Minako watched as the Martian's face became a mask of concentration again. She pulled back her elbow and stayed completely still for a moment. Suddenly the arrow burst into flames. She yelped and twisted, letting go at the same moment.

"It worked!" Makoto said in amazement as they watched the fiery projectile arc high to their left. It was barely visible against the bright sky, but Minako could see where it was headed and she cringed. "No way…" Makoto breathed.

An indignant yowl sounded across the training pitch as Luna leapt from the stands moments before the arrow imbedded itself in the wood several rows behind where she'd been sitting. "Uh oh…" Minako muttered as the black cat came charging toward them.

"That was unbelievably unlikely," Ami whispered.

They looked sideways at Rei who held up her hands defensively. "You know I wouldn't do something like that on purpose!" she insisted.

"What the hell is going on over here!" Luna screeched as soon as she was within shouting distance. Her eyes were narrowed to slits as she eyed them each in turn. "Mars!" she snapped.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," Rei said immediately. "It surprised me."

"Surprised YOU!"

"Now Luna," Artemis said in a soothing voice, "it really was an accident." She scowled at him before moving to sit beside him in disgruntled silence. "Well, so, um… Makoto, why don't you try," Artemis said, sounding a bit flustered. She stepped forward and pulled out a javelin.

Minako moved to stand by Rei, who still held her bow limply in one hand. "You did a really good job," she whispered. "Even with that little Luna incident." Rei smirked at her, then turned back to watch Makoto.

She held the weapon in front of her, staring hard at it. It began to glow green and abruptly buzzed loudly as arcs of electricity moved across it. "Good, now throw it!" Artemis cheered. She quickly cocked her arm back and flung it across the pitch. The target exploded as soon as the javelin touched it, sparks flying everywhere along with bits of straw and cloth.

"Whoa," Makoto breathed as she turned to give her fellow guards a wide eyed look.

"Alright then," Luna said shakily, "I think that's enough practice for now. I want all of you to work on your concentration and focus. You need to not only use these powers but contain and control them." She gave them a meaningful stare then turned back toward the castle.

Once she was gone, Artemis turned and smiled at them. "You all did a good job today. I'll see you later." He started to leave, then stopped. Without turning around, he added, "Also, no matter how great the temptation, I expect all of you to be on your best behavior inside the castle."

-Makoto-

Makoto smiled to herself as she stepped out of her room, passing tiny arcs of electricity between her fingers. They'd stayed down at the training grounds for several hours after the cats had left and she was beginning to feel more confident with her new powers. She started toward the common room when suddenly her feet lost their grip on the floor. She slid alarmingly fast down the hall and crashed into someone.

"Makoto, what the hell?" came Minako's slightly muffled, but no less outraged shout.

"Sorry," she replied shakily, pushing herself carefully off the ruffled blonde. "I slipped on…" she twisted to see what exactly had happened and scowled at the floor. The hallway behind her was coated in a thick layer of ice. "Ami!"

Rei's door flew open and the guard burst out, looking alarmed. "What's going-" Her feet flew out from under her and she yelped in surprise. Makoto and Minako ducked as a small wave of fire flew over their heads, scorching lines on the walls. She sat up and looked over at them wide eyed. "Whoops, I'd better watch that…"

Makoto stood carefully, bracing her hands on the wall for support. "Ami!" she shouted again.

The bluenette poked her head out of her bedroom, looking mildly annoyed. "What are you all shouting about?" Then she looked down at Rei, who was on her hands and knees beside her. "Oh yea, I meant to clean that up," she said in a small voice.

Makoto chuckled as she caught Minako in the small of her back and slid her toward the end of the ice patch. Then she turned and skated toward the other two, grinning. She caught Rei's hands and pulled her to her feet, then spun her around gracefully. Rei's expression was somewhere between alarmed and murderous. With one more quick twist, she slid the other girl down the hall toward a grinning Minako.

The blonde caught her easily and led her back onto the ice. "This is kind of fun," she giggled, ignoring the twitch that had started in Rei's left eye.

"Ami?" Makoto questioned, offering her hand to the smaller girl. Ami laughed softly and took her hand, allowing her to lead her in a sliding waltz.

"Is lunch ready?" They all looked up to see Serenity jogging out of her room toward them. _Uh oh…_

"Wait, Serenity-"

"Don't-"

Rei and Ami's warnings were a moment too late. The princess hit the ice patch full speed and squealed in surprise as she came careening toward them. With an almighty crash, all five girls landed in a pile.

Rei growled and crawled out from under them. "This is probably why Artemis told us not to use our powers inside the palace," she muttered as she crawled toward her door.

"Look who's talking," Minako giggled as she followed her. "How are we going to explain what happened to the walls?" Makoto chuckled as she eyed the long black scorches.

"What _did _happen to the walls?" Ami wondered. She got to her feet and pulled Serenity into Makoto's open doorway.

Makoto followed them, stepping onto the safety of her lush green carpet. "You happened, actually." Ami raised an eyebrow at her. "Rei slipped on your ice and it surprised some fire out of her." She glanced at the Martian and burst out laughing at her look of indignation.

"That's not what-"

"Oh, Rei," Serenity interrupted in alarm, "Try not to sneeze or anything!" Beside her, Ami clapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter in.

"That's not what happened!" Rei snapped, glaring at them. "And I am not going to sneeze fire!" she added. She shifted her glare to the ice that had started the whole fiasco. She held out her hand and, before they could stop her, sent a spray of fire at it. Everyone jumped back and when they looked again, the long white hall carpet had been reduced to smoking cinders. Everyone's eyes jumped to Rei, who stood frozen in shock.

"Well, at least the ice is gone," Minako pointed out as she wrapped her arms around the Martian. The others nodded.

"So anyway," Makoto said after a moment, "didn't someone say it was time for lunch?" The five of them started toward the common room, casting guilty looks at the hall as they went.

"I really thought you'd be the one destroying things," Serenity said as they sat, looking innocently at Makoto.

"Me?" She frowned at that. "I haven't destroyed anything." She'd actually been feeling rather good about that. "My power's not really that destructive, anyway." She glanced around the room, checking for anything that might conduct electricity so she could demonstrate. She settled on the metal trim of the window frame. "Watch."

She held up a hand and sent an arc of lightning toward it. With a loud crack, the glass in the window shattered. She winced as the spark jumped from pane to pane, shattering each one, then arced toward Rei. "Hey!" she cried, jumping up as her knife sparked.

"You were saying?" Minako giggled.

She turned guiltily back to the table. Ami was giving her a beady stare. "I didn't think it would do that," she muttered uneasily.

Ami sighed and gave her an exasperated smile. "Just try to be careful. Remember we're all usually wearing metal weapons and armor."

Serenity giggled and they all turned to look at her. She put down her fork and grinned. "Luna's going to be really unhappy with you three."

Makoto grimaced and looked at the others for help. "Maybe we can fix it before anyone notices," Minako suggested uneasily.

"That is highly unlikely," came a voice from the doorway. As one, they turned apprehensively toward Luna, who was stalking toward them with Artemis close on her heels. Makoto opened her mouth to explain but Luna spoke over her. "I don't even want to know," she said flatly. Makoto closed her mouth with a snap and waited for the impending lecture.

Artemis leapt onto the arm of the couch and gazed out the shattered windows for a moment before turning to them. "We came to inform you that the Queen wishes to have a ball tonight, in honor of your, er, new power." He shuddered, probably thinking of the sort of chaos that might ensue.

They looked at each other, then back to him. "She seems to think you all have enough control over these powers for such an event," Luna said, twitching her tail. Her tone indicated that she did not agree.

They were silent for a moment as they contemplated this. "Do you really think that's a good idea?" Ami asked finally.

"No," Luna snapped. "But it's not up to me." With a flick of her tail, she was gone.

Artemis chuckled nervously. "Why don't you all come back to the training grounds after you're done eating. A little extra practice couldn't hurt."

After he was gone, they turned back to each other. _This is a terrible idea, _Makoto thought as she studied the other guards. They finished eating in uneasy silence.

Finally they rose and started for the training grounds. Serenity grinned as she walked between all of them and Makoto shot her a sideways look. "What are you smiling about?" she inquired, cocking her head slightly.

The princess just shrugged merrily. "I just think that tonight's going to be a lot of fun." A snort from Rei seemed to sum up everyone's feelings on that. Fun was not the word Makoto would have chosen.


	29. Prisoner of War

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has been reviewing, I love hearing your thoughts and opinions. We're nearing the end, but don't worry a sequel is already in the works! (A sequel in which the Outers are more involved!) Hope you're all enjoying the story and don't forget to let me know what you think :)

-Ami-

-1 Ami wandered toward the common rooms, massaging her neck absently. She'd spent the better part of the morning helping set up the last of the salvaged equipment from Mercury. They'd managed to get the scanners up and running along with a very advanced communication system. They had yet to connect to the various satellites scattered through the empire but that didn't require her attention.

She was debating whether she wanted food or a hot bath first, but when she reached their hall the thought was pushed from her head. Makoto was walking toward her, grinning mischievously. "Hey, Ami," she greeted her cheerfully.

Ami smiled and checked around quickly before wrapping her arms around the taller girl and kissing her passionately. They broke apart after a few moments, both flushed but smiling. "I missed you, too," Makoto said softly, still holding her close.

Ami leaned against her and closed her eyes, drinking in her scent and warmth. "Where were you going?" she asked eventually.

She felt Makoto chuckle and stepped back to study her face. "Any other part of the palace is fine with me." Ami raised an eyebrow at her so she elaborated. "Rei and Minako are, um, getting reacquainted." She gestured toward the door to the baths.

Ami frowned, staring at the closed door. A low moan sounded inside, followed by Minako's distinctive laugh. Ami blushed scarlet and turned away sharply. "Let's go for a walk," she suggested as she caught Makoto's hand. The tall soldier laughed and allowed Ami to lead the way.

Once they were outside, they paused and Ami decided to take the path through the gardens. They reluctantly let go of each other's hands when a pair of Lunar guards passed them. Ami frowned and adjusted her stride to leave a respectable distance between them. She felt a fresh surge of resentment toward Lady Pluto and the cats.

"So where were you all morning?" Makoto's cheerful tone sounded forced and Ami knew they were thinking the same thing.

She latched onto the subject, grateful for anything to distract her thoughts. "I've been up in the Queen's reception room. We just finished installing Queen Serenity's main computer system. Pretty soon we'll have it linked with the satellites and be able to scan the planets again."

Makoto nodded, apparently thinking over her words. "I've been wondering about that. Maybe now we'll be able to do something about Earth." Ami glanced up to find her scowling down at the path.

Once they reached the gardens, Makoto seemed to perk up considerably. Many of the plants had been imported from her home planet, Ami knew, so she had hoped that being out here would cheer the soldier.

Abruptly, Makoto caught her hand and dragged her off the path and into a patch of tall shrubs. They were partially shadowed and completely hidden from view. Makoto spun and caught her in a tight embrace. "I really have missed you," she murmured into her hair.

Ami smiled and knelt in the thick grass, drawing the taller girl down with her. They laid side by side facing each other and Ami simply studied her. Makoto smiled and reached out to brush a lock of blue hair out of her eyes. Then she leaned forward for a gentle kiss. It quickly grew more passionate and soon they were hurriedly shedding their clothes.

"How much time do you think we've got?" Makoto gasped as she pulled Ami on top of her and began kissing her neck and shoulder.

Ami tried to focus on the question and not on exploring the body she missed so much. As Makoto's hands slid down her bare back to pull her closer, she gave up. "We've got our communicators," she breathed. "They'll call if they need us."

Some time later the two lay together, drowsing in the waning sunlight. Ami's head was resting on Makoto's chest and she was lazily drawing patterns on the other girl's skin with her fingers. Makoto's eyes were closed and Ami would have thought she was asleep if her hand hadn't been running rhythmically through her hair.

A buzz of static made them both groan as Serenity's voice came over both their communicators. "Where is everyone?"

Ami sat up reluctantly and reached for the blue device. "I'm here, Serenity, what do you need?"

There was a pause before her voice again came through both devices. "Luna says she needs to see all of you in the common room. It sounds important." The line went dead and Ami felt a cold dread slam into her. She glanced at Makoto briefly before hastily dressing.

"Do you think she knows where we were?" Makoto whispered uneasily as they strode toward the palace.

Ami grimaced. The honest answer was yes, but she merely shrugged. They reached the common room at the same time as Rei and Minako. Both had their wet hair pulled back and looked extremely guilty.

"What's going on?" Minako asked, her voice tense. She straightened her shirt nervously as she watched them.

"I'm not sure," Ami replied. The four of them stopped outside the door, trying to calm their breathing. Rei grunted and reached toward Ami, pulling a blade of grass from her hair. The Martian raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Ami bit her lip and discretely checked Makoto over. The taller girl brushed her hands over her clothes nervously.

Steeling herself, Ami stepped forward and pushed the door open. They filed in and stood silently to face Luna and Artemis. Both were looking extremely grim.

"You wanted to see us, Ma'am?" Minako asked softly. The four of them stood in a row carefully not looking at each other.

To everyone's surprise, Luna sighed and sat down heavily. "We have reason to believe there might be an attack on the Moon Kingdom soon."

There were assorted murmurs of surprise from the soldiers. "What makes you think that?" Makoto wondered.

The two cats exchanged a quick glance. "For now, lets just leave it at that. How we know isn't important."

Ami looked at her fellow soldiers. Minako looked incredulous, Rei and Makoto furious. She narrowed her eyes as she glanced around the room. Two people were conspicuously absent from the meeting.

"Where are Princess Serenity and Lady Pluto?" Ami asked, trying to keep her voice level.

"The Princess is speaking with her mother. We didn't want to put undue stress on her," Artemis explained.

"And Lady Pluto?" Makoto said through clenched teeth.

"Traveling," Luna answered brusquely. "Neither of their whereabouts has any bearing on-"

"So we're doing this again?" Minako sneered, crossing her arms across her chest. "Since we all remember how well your secrets and half-truths have been working out until now."

Luna stood and leapt on the table to face them. "Your duty is to protect the Princess and you know all you need to for that job."

"Don't you think the Princess would be safer if she knew how real the danger was?" Ami reasoned.

"She is with the Queen," Artemis said soothingly. "Nothing could harm her there."

"Then what do you even need us for?" Minako snapped. The eyes of the other soldiers turned to her in surprise, but her glare was trained on the cats.

"We already told you," Artemis responded gruffly. "We told you about the prophesy when you returned from Earth."

"You're the ones with the power to protect her now," Luna continued icily. "The Queen weakened herself to give you that power."

No one spoke for several minutes. Finally Rei let out a heavy sigh. "So what is it you want us to do?"

Luna looked between them. "An unregistered craft landed outside of the village. The militia couldn't find any passengers when they discovered it earlier, but they know where it came from. Earth."

Everyone tensed at the unexpected news. "Have they checked the scans for dark energy?" Ami wondered. "We just finished setting up the equipment."

Artemis shook his head. "The satellites won't be in a position to scan the Moon for several hours. We've put the militia on alert but if it's more of those creatures…" He let the implication hang in the air.

Ami glanced at her fellow soldiers and noted numbly that they'd all drawn the same conclusion. "Where should we start looking?" Minako asked quietly.

"Split up," Luna answered immediately. "Venus and Jupiter take the west half of the village, Mercury and Mars east." Ami glared past them for a moment, unable to reconcile the idea that they were so determined to keep them apart that they would risk that. Silently, the four of them left the room.

-Rei-

Rei had to resist the childish urge to slam the door to her room. Her hands were shaking so badly she could barely do up the fastenings of her armor. Grimly, she realized that any trust the soldiers had left for their guardians was gone now. They had made their priorities known.

She'd just clasped on her cloak when her door was pulled open and Minako slipped inside. She was frowning and sat heavily on the bed without speaking. Rei buckled on her sword belt and sat down beside her. "What is it?" she asked softly.

Minako sighed and leaned closer so their armored shoulders were touching. "I've got a bad feeling about all of this." Rei slipped an arm around her shoulders, unsure of what to say. "They're still keeping something from us."

"I think I've got an idea of what it is," Ami said from the doorway. She and Makoto walked in and closed the door behind them. Ami sat beside Minako on the bed and Makoto next to her.

"What are you thinking?" Minako asked. Rei leaned forward slightly to watch the bluenette.

"I think it's got something to do with Lady Pluto." The others nodded in silent agreement. "They said she's traveling, which makes me think she's left the Moon altogether."

"Where else would she go?" Minako asked eagerly. "Earth?"

"There aren't that many places she _could_ go," Ami reasoned. "Mercury and Venus are uninhabitable. Mars and Jupiter have been completely deserted. There's nothing left on Neptune or Uranus."

"So it could be Earth," Minako mused, "but what would be the point?"

"That only leaves Saturn and Pluto," Ami finished.

'There's nothing on either of those planets, though," Makoto pointed out.

Ami nodded slowly, frowning. "That's what I thought originally," she agreed. "But the Time Gates are supposed to be on Pluto. And there must be something on Saturn. There must be a reason it's not colonized but still acknowledged as part of the empire."

Rei bit her lip, trying to think of any stories she might have heard about the planets. She could come up with nothing, however. Minako seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "It's something to think about, but right now our priority should be finding the Earthlings." She stood and turned to face them. "I don't like the idea of splitting up, but I suppose we'll cover more ground that way." She locked eyes with Rei. "If you see something suspicious, call us. Don't try to fight it yourselves unless you have to."

They all stood and did last checks of their weapons. Minako pulled Rei into a brief hug. "Please be careful, love," she whispered.

Rei smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "You too." Makoto pulled away from Ami, nodded to Rei and followed Minako out the door.

Ami frowned after them for a moment then turned to Rei. "Let's check the roads between the palace and the port first. If we don't find anything we can branch out to the camps." Rei nodded and the two strode out the door.

They reached the edge of the village quickly but stopped at the edge of the road. "Where should we go first?" Rei murmured. From the experiences they'd had recently, she knew better than to make assumptions about what they were looking for.

Ami looked around, considering. "I would guess that they would be trying to get to the palace," she said distractedly. "But they might not go there directly. Possibly, they would try to cause a diversion in another part of the village. Or perhaps…" Her eyes widened as she focused on something behind Rei.

Rei turned, searching for what had caught her attention. When she found it, she felt her blood begin to boil. "Son of a bitch," she murmured. She started forward, but Ami caught her arm.

"Wait, we don't want him to know we've seen him," she said. Ami moved so that she had her back to him and discretely pulled out her communicator. "Keep an eye on him," she said softly. "Venus, Jupiter are you there?"

The response came immediately. "Are you alright?" Makoto asked worriedly. Rei kept the hooded figure in her line of view, but forced herself to stay still.

Ami smiled before bringing it back to her mouth. "I think we've found one of them. We're on the road into the village just past the palace gates."

Minako's voice responded. "We're about halfway to the Jovian camp so we'll swing around and come down the main road from the north. What are we looking for, Mercury?"

Rei's gaze flicked to Ami's face as the bluenettes expression darkened. "Prince Endymion."

Rei growled softly to herself as they started after the Prince. He'd come from the direction of the port but seemed to be trying to stay off the main roads. His cloak covered most of his clothes but none of them would forget his face. Rei stopped as he ducked behind a nearby building.

"He's heading toward the side gate," Ami mumbled. She raised a hand palm down in front of her and thick icy mist began billowing around them. It rolled ahead of them, filling the road and the alley he'd disappeared into. "Go around the other side. Hurry."

Rei immediately took off for the back of the building, pulling her sword and knife as she ran. The mist was pouring from the mouth of the alley and as she got closer she heard a scuffle and muttered curse. She positioned herself in the middle of the narrow opening and waited, weapons poised.

When the hesitant footsteps were close, she focused her energy on her weapons and they immediately flared to life. The intense heat instantly dissolved the mist around her. The Prince stood frozen, mouth open in mute horror. She snarled at him, relishing his fear as she started forward. Behind him, the mist was dissipating and she saw Ami with her rifle shouldered and aimed at his back.

His eyes flicked from her flaming sword to her face and he took a step backward. "Don't try anything, you're surrounded," Minako's voice called from behind her. At the sound, he spun to bolt down the alley away from them. He stumbled and nearly fell when he saw Ami and Makoto advancing. Arcs of electricity ran the length of Makoto's staff and Ami's eyes were utterly cold as she watched him through her rifle scope.

Minako stepped past Rei and approached him. Her scimitar and chain both glowed an unearthly gold. "Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your back," she ordered. He looked past her to Rei. As their eyes met, she wondered if he would give her the excuse she so desperately wanted to destroy him. Something must have shown on her face because he lowered his head and dropped to his knees.

Rei allowed the flames to flicker and die, but didn't sheath her weapons as she approached him. Minako glanced around quickly, then put away her sword. She pulled a strip of scrap metal from a nearby bin. It glowed in her hands and twisted itself into a figure eight. Rei watched detachedly as she slipped it over his wrists and forced it tight against his skin.

The four of them formed a loose half circle around him. "Who else is here with you?" Minako demanded. He glared up at her then spat in the dirt at her feet.

Rei was in front of him in two steps and slammed a gloved fist into his mouth. Makoto caught the back of his cloak roughly to keep him from falling. She bared her teeth in a vicious smile as she pulled it tight against his throat.

"I'll ask you again and please consider your position before answering," Minako sneered. "Who else?"

He twitched as though to wipe the trickle of blood from his chin then glared at her defiantly. "Why should I tell you? You're just going to kill me anyway."

Ami stepped up in front of his as well. "Trust me, your death wouldn't grieve us in the slightest," she stated coolly. "But this will go much easier if you tell us what you're doing here. And keep in mind that, depending what that reason is, it will not be quick and painless."

He seemed to think her words over. Finally his posture changed to a defeated slump. "I'm not here to harm anyone. I came to speak to the Queen."

Makoto let out a bark of laughter. "You honestly think we would let one of you near her?"

He turned to her, his eyes dull. "Which one of you is the leader?"

They cast quick glances at each other before three pairs of eyes settled on Minako. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, but quickly schooled her features. "I am."

He looked past her to Rei and chuckled. "I would have guessed you."

"She's my second in command," Minako snapped. "Why do you want to know?" Rei straightened proudly at her declaration and shifted closer to her.

"I wish to surrender," he said formally. "Take me to a prison, interrogate me, whatever you want. But I have important information that your Queen needs to hear."

Makoto pulled him to his feet. He swayed slightly before gaining his footing. "If it's possible," he continued softly, "I would like to give a message to Princess Serenity as well."

With a roar of rage, Rei rounded on him. Her sword burst into flames again and she swung down toward his head. He threw himself backward and Makoto was between them, her staff charged and blocking the sword's path. The weapons met in a shower of sparks and embers. Rei stared at her comrade in shock, feeling anger rising in her chest.

Then a soft hand, covered by a studded leather gauntlet, landed on her upper arm. "Mars," Minako said softly, "we need him."

Rei scowled at Makoto and extinguished her blade before lowering it to her side. Makoto stepped back sharply, looking more surprised than upset. Ami watched them silently before turning to the Prince. "I think it would be better for your own wellbeing to forget about our Princess." She gestured with her rifle for him to start walking again.

Rei glared at his back as he was hustled forward, seething. When Minako's hand touched her shoulder it was tempting to shake her off. "I'm sorry but we need to find out what he knows."

"I know," Rei growled. "But if he thinks he's going to go anywhere near her…"

"He won't," Minako said firmly. "You know we would never let that happen."

-Makoto-

Makoto paced back and forth along the wall of the small room. They were in a side room near the Queen's reception chamber which was being used as a temporary prison. Ami was sitting on the floor leaned against the wall. Her computer was open in her lap and she hadn't spoken since they'd arrived. Rei was standing by the door with her arms crossed, scowling. Minako and Artemis were standing beside an empty chair, both apparently lost in thought.

Suddenly the door opened and the Prince was shoved roughly into the room by a contingent of Lunar guards. They'd sent for several Mercurian scientists to scan him for dark energy before allowing him into the palace. His wrists were shackled, as well as his ankles, and his lip was bruised and swollen. The guards placed him in the chair then left silently.

Artemis regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Did you come to the Moon Kingdom alone?" The Prince nodded but didn't speak. "Why?"

Makoto moved to where she could see his face, on the other side of the door from Rei. He looked up at her briefly before returning his gaze to the small white cat. "I already told them." He jerked his head toward Minako. "I wanted to speak to the Queen."

"So I've been told," Artemis replied dryly. "I'm sure you can understand why we can't allow that."

"Yes," he answered, glaring between all of them. "But you don't understand, I came here to help you."

Rei scoffed loudly and his eyes snapped to her. "Maybe I should clarify. I came here to help Princess Serenity." Makoto watched the Martian tense and braced herself to intervene again. Minako shot her a pleading look. Her amethyst eyes narrowed to slits but she didn't move.

"Help her how?" Artemis asked as though nothing had happened.

"And why should we believe you," Minako added. "You haven't exactly given us reason to trust you."

Endymion sighed heavily. "I know. I'd like to explain if you'll let me." He watched her expectantly. Minako crossed her arms and stepped back to stand next to Rei. He seemed to take that as his cue to begin.

"Our Queen originally wanted to gain power within the other planets," he started, "She sent diplomats, scouts and spies to every planet in the system, but none of the Empire were receptive." He paused to smirk at nothing in particular. "Which wasn't really a surprise.

"What she really wanted, and what none of us realized until it was too late, was the Silver Crystal. The source of the High Queen's power." He suddenly had everyone's rapt attention. "Apparently she's spent many years now secretly trying to engineer one of her own but only with limited success. Her dark crystal had power, but not enough to rival Queen Serenity. Then Counselor Beryl came along."

The soldiers exchanged grim looks but no one interrupted him. "Between the two of them, they made a lot of progress. They put so much energy into the crystal it began to have a life of it's own and pull the life from those around it. My step mother exists now only inside of that crystal, which Beryl keeps with her at all times." He sighed heavily.

"At first we went along with the Queen's plans to gain power. She began fusing soldiers with dark energy from the crystal to create her shadow monsters. The army of Earth is almost entirely made up of the creatures now." He shook his head in disgust. "She sent one here to provoke Queen Serenity into using her crystal but the attempt failed. So instead, she sent Counselor Beryl, the generals, and myself to discover what had stopped it. That's when we found out about all of you." He looked at each of the soldiers in turn then let out a bitter laugh.

"Beryl found out about a prophesy involving all of you and the Princess. It suggested that she could stop Metallia from succeeding. The purest light, the child of the Moon. That meant she needed the princess out of the way. Of course that meant getting rid of all of you as well." He took a shaky breath and Makoto was astounded to see his eyes fill with tears. "Then I met her. I couldn't bring myself to hurt her. She was so beautiful and kind and good. I think I fell in love with her that night when we danced." His gaze hardened and he glared up at Rei. "Of course then I met the four of you."

Rei's fists were clenched and shaking at her sides. She was clearly too livid to speak, but her eyes were giving her message clearly. Ami approached Makoto's side quietly. The air around her was chilled and Makoto realized she was braced to stop Rei from burning him to ashes.

Minako stepped forward, glaring down at him but still positioning herself between Rei and the Prince. "When we were on Earth, they ordered that creature after us?"

He nodded, tears still flowing down his face. "The plan was to get rid of all five of you, but I found out and arranged to take her away. I wanted to protect her." The last part was a whisper.

"So your Queen Metallia is dead?" Artemis picked up.

"Essentially," he replied. "She poured her entire self into that crystal."

"But she and Counselor Beryl have still managed to create an army of these shadow creatures?" Minako demanded. He nodded, still staring at the floor.

"And now Counselor Beryl is continuing her quest for the Silver Crystal," Artemis concluded.

"Queen Beryl now," he choked out. "And yes."

Minako sighed heavily, looking around the room tiredly before continuing. "So what was the point of coming here?"

He straightened slightly. "I came here to protect Serenity, any way I can. Beryl plans to attack the Moon Kingdom in eight days, on the night of the New Year's Ball."

Several seconds of shocked silence followed this pronouncement. Artemis paced in front of him before sitting down heavily. "You're absolutely sure?" The Prince nodded solemnly. Abruptly Artemis turned away. "I've got to speak to the Queen. Mercury, please come with me. The rest of you are free to go; I'll see that he's well guarded."

Ami caught Makoto's hand and squeezed it briefly before silently following him out of the room. Makoto looked back at the Prince, wanting to see if he spoke the truth, but his gaze was fixed on Rei. She took a step toward him, trembling with rage. "If you ever hurt her again," she growled, "I promise I'll kill you myself." She strode from the room, slamming the door and leaving Makoto and Minako alone with him.

He looked up between them. "Please," he said softly. "Could you please tell the Princess that I'm sorry? I never wanted to hurt her."

They exchanged a glance and both wordlessly walked out. As the door shut they tried not to hear his hopeless sobs.

-Minako-

Minako sat beside Rei on the couch in the common room. They were both in their armor, but she was still cuddled as close to the fire soldier as possible. Rei had her arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. Ami and Makoto were similarly positioned on the other end of the couch. They were waiting to be summoned for an emergency counsel meeting.

"We've got to tell her," Ami said softly. Rei sighed heavily but no one responded. "She'll wonder how we knew about the attack."

"We should have told her before," Makoto murmured. "Nothing good has come from all these secrets."

Minako twisted to lean back on Rei and face the other two. "She'll never forgive us for this. She'll never trust us again." She felt Rei stiffen and stroked her forearm lightly above her gauntlet.

"She has a right to know," Makoto replied. "I think she would rather hear it from us."

"If we tell her, she'll want to see him," Minako pointed out. "They'll never allow that." They'd been going around in circles with the discussion for almost an hour. After they'd left, Ami had gone to help with the computers to get final readings for the meeting. They'd been in the same debate since she'd returned.

"He was apparently telling the truth, though," Ami reasoned. "Maybe they'll look favorably on that."

Minako tilted her head back to rest against Rei's armored shoulder. "Who's to know what's true any more?" she said bitterly. "It seems like the only ones we can trust are sitting in this room."

As if on cue, the door opened and Luna entered. "The Queen is ready for you now."

"Luna?" Rei looked down at the cat. "Is Princess Serenity going to be there?"

Luna let out her breath sharply. "No, Mars, she isn't." She started to leave but Minako stopped her.

"Luna," she said calmly to the cat's back. "If you don't tell her what's going on, we will. I thought you should know." Luna said nothing, just continued out of the room.

They exchanged looks and stood to follow her. Minako caught Rei's hand and held her back, letting the others pass. "You've been awfully quiet about all of this," she said gently.

Rei stepped close to her and threaded her fingers into her hair. With her other hand, she tilted Minako's chin up. She smiled and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. "There's nothing really left to say, love." Minako nodded and caught her hand as they walked to the counsel hall.

When they arrived, Ami and Makoto were side by side at the large table. Makoto had her arm around Ami's shoulders and both were watching Luna and Artemis defiantly. Minako took the hint and led Rei to the opposite side and sat down. She pulled Rei's hand into her lap and held it with both of hers, gently stroking the scarred knuckles.

The door opened again and Princesses Haruka and Michiru entered, taking seats opposite where the Queen would sit. When Queen Serenity emerged from the opposite door she glanced around and smiled sadly before taking her seat. "This is less people than I was expecting."

"My people have left it to me to decide as their Queen how to handle the situation," Makoto said somewhat stiffly.

"Mine as well," Rei added.

"I've already discussed the relevant points with my advisors," Ami informed her.

"My brother wanted me here in his stead," Minako said calmly. "He wants to spend his time with our people."

The Queen nodded and folded her hands on the table. "Where to begin…" She stood slowly to address the small crowd. "You know that Earth is massing an army and is poised to attack. We received the warning from our prisoner, Prince Endymion, and the Mercurians have confirmed the possibility through their scans."

"But some of us already knew that an attack was coming soon," Makoto said, looking pointedly toward Luna. "They knew before we caught the Prince."

"Yes, we did," Luna said irritably, "But as we told you before, how we know is not what's important. Your duty is to the Princess."

"We also have a duty to our own people," Minako reminded her, then added acidly, "And not all of us like to deal in secrets with those who are supposed to trust us."

Luna flinched and looked toward the Queen, but Artemis was the one to answer. "Lady Pluto had reason to believe it could happen. She isn't here, so she can't explain it and we can't explain for her."

"Well, where is she?" Makoto snapped. "If you can't trust us with the truth, how can you trust us with the Princess's life?"

"We don-" Luna began angrily but stopped herself. "She is traveling and it is for her to tell you or not."

"It seems to me," Princess Haruka broke in, "That the main concern should be the Earth army. You said it was an army of those shadow creatures. Do you know how many?"

"Hundreds," Artemis said dully. "Possibly several thousand. The scans show that they are massing in the capital city."

"Thousands," Minako repeated in a whisper. She tightened her grip on Rei's hand and leaned closer to her.

"How many soldiers do we have?" Rei asked, looking around the room.

"There were around two thousand survivors from Jupiter," Makoto answered quickly. "Most of them would be able to fight."

"Mercury has about four thousand people here," Ami said after a moment of typing rapidly on her computer. "But only about a quarter are trained to fight." She grimaced and shrugged.

"We have maybe a thousand that could fight. Our people aren't really warriors." Minako smiled sadly.

"Then added to the seven or so thousand we have and the Lunar army, that would be a pretty good sized force to send," Rei concluded.

Michiru and Haruka had been talking quietly and both straightened to face the group. "We could lead the attack," Michiru said confidently. "We've been training to lead the Lunar army since we came here."

All eyes turned to Queen Serenity. "It saddens me that it's come to this," she said heavily, "But since it has, it seems we have no choice. We're all agreed?" Everyone nodded. "Then speak to your people and tell them to prepare." She turned to Ami then. "Your technicians could help with communication and transport?"

"Yes," Ami stated. "I can speak to them as soon as we adjourn here."

The Queen nodded again. "Then plan to send the armies out tomorrow morning." Haruka and Michiru stood, bowed low and left.

The other soldiers moved to stand in a cluster. They exchanged meaningful looks and Minako bit her lip. She knew what had to happen, even though none of them were looking forward to the consequences. "Your Majesty?" She approached the Queen and bowed. She felt Rei's warmth at her shoulder and knew the others were close on her other side.

"Yes Venus?" She smiled warmly.

Minako ignored Luna and Artemis's warning looks and forced herself to continue. "When will Princess Serenity be informed of what's happening?"

The Queen looked away sadly for a moment before returning her gaze to their determined faces. "I suppose I can no longer shield her," she said finally. "I will speak to her." Minako nodded and took a step back. "I would ask that the four of you stay close. I know she'll need you."


	30. Countdown

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: After a month of insanity and nearly 10,000 miles of wandering, I have finally settled down (for the most part). Good news, since now I can finally finish this story! As always, let me know what you think!

-Seven Days-

-Minako-

Minako held tightly to Rei's hand as she watched the transports disappear from view. She'd exchanged a tearful goodbye with Eros and Adonis before they'd left with the Venusian army. The five armies had been combined and the attack on Earth would happen when they arrived at the capital city in two days.

"I feel like I'm never going to see them again," Makoto said softly.

Minako tore her gaze from the sky to offer her comrade a smile. "Don't think like that. They'll be alright."

"The scanners are set up inside of the palace," Ami reminded them. "We can watch their progress the whole time they're there."

"Then they can tell us about it when they get back for the New Year's Ball," Minako added with forced cheer. Makoto gave her a grateful smile and the four of them turned back toward the palace.

They hadn't gotten very far when they saw Luna approaching them, looking grim. "This can't be good," Rei muttered, giving her hand a squeeze. They stood together and waited for her.

"I need to speak with all of you," she announced. Her eyes traveled to each of their faces. "It's about what we discussed when you returned from Venus."

Minako felt a rising dread. She didn't want to hear what the cat had to say, she knew it would be something bad. "Which part?" Makoto asked cautiously. "We talked about a lot of things then."

"About your relationships with each other," she stated coolly. Minako tensed and felt Rei do the same. They waited silently for her to continue. "It was already explained to you why you could not have these bonds to each other. Your loyalty has to be to the Princess. We had hoped you would heed our words but clearly you haven't." Her eyes flicked to their joined hands.

"We did but-"

Luna wouldn't let Makoto finish. "No, you did not. Now we will give you the choice. Your loyalty to the Princess and the Lunar kingdom or your loyalty to each other."

Minako gasped softly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What do you mean by that?" Ami asked in a whisper.

"I mean, we are giving the four of you a direct order to end these affairs. They are interfering with your duty and putting the Princess at risk." Luna stared coldly at them as she let the words sink in. "If you decide to disobey this order we will have no choice but to dismiss you from the Lunar court. You can go fight with your armies on Earth and when you return, take your places with your people."

No one spoke for almost a full minute. Minako could feel Rei shaking beside her and tried to force down the rising lump in her throat. "How can you do this?" Minako demanded. "How can you make us choose between the two after all this time?"

Luna glared up at her. "I am doing my duty to the Princess and Queen. The question now is whether or not you will do yours."

"But the prophesy said that the four of us would be the only shield that could save everyone," Ami pointed out, her tone incredulous. "How could you risk everything like this."

"I'm not the one risking it, you are," Luna spat. "Now what are your answers?"

"There isn't a choice," Rei said softly. "Not really." Minako blinked back tears as the Martian gently pulled her hand away. She took a shaky breath and took a half step away from Rei.

Luna nodded once and turned to go back to the palace. Silently, the four guards followed, all keeping their distance from each other. When they reached their wing of the palace they separated. Rei and Makoto disappeared into their rooms without looking at each other. Ami muttered something about checking the scans and hurried back down the hall. Minako stood alone for a moment, then wandered into the common room.

Serenity was sitting on the couch, gazing out the window. She turned and smiled at Minako when she entered. "Where have you guys been all morning?" she asked.

Minako narrowed her eyes at the other girl. "We were at the port."

"Why?" She wondered innocently.

"They didn't tell you?" Minako said slowly. "They didn't tell you where we're sending the armies?"

Serenity's expression fell. "They're sending the armies out? What happened?"

"We found out that Earth was preparing to attack us," she said savagely. "They sent almost all the remaining soldiers of every planet's army there to wipe them out."

"They can't do that!" Serenity cried as her eyes filled with tears. Minako said nothing and the Princess ran from the room, sobbing.

_Good_, she thought cruelly, _why should she be happy when they won't allow the rest of us to be_. Minako immediately felt guilty. It wasn't the Princess's fault, after all. She started to follow her but stopped. She had no idea what to say. Instead she sank heavily onto the couch and cried.

-Six Days-

-Makoto-

Makoto stalked restlessly through the palace halls. She felt a grim satisfaction every time a servant skittered out of her way. She was sure she looked terrifying.

When she reached the front doors, she breathed the fresh air deeply. Being outside seemed to be the only chance of feeling better. She hadn't seen any of the others since the day before. After a moment of deliberation she started toward the training grounds.

When she arrived, she scanned the area but it seemed deserted. Then a flash of light near the ranged area caught her attention. There she found Rei holding her bow loosely and staring out at the targets. Princess Serenity was sitting in the grass with her feet curled under her, gazing in the same direction.

"Hey guys," she said tiredly. She sat down beside the Princess and followed the direction of her stare. The targets were all intact still and she didn't see any arrows in them. "What are you doing?"

"I figured out a new trick," Rei replied with a smirk.

She nodded, not really comprehending and turned to the Princess. "You're awfully quiet, Serenity."

The blonde shrugged and gave her a sad smile. "I heard about the attack on Earth."

"You did?" Makoto asked in surprise. "So the Queen already talked to you?"

Serenity looked away. "No, Minako did. My mother wanted to talk about it last night but I just couldn't…"

Makoto patted her shoulder lightly. "I'm sorry, Serenity," she said quietly. "I know you cared for him."

Serenity shrugged and blinked back tears. "It doesn't matter now."

Makoto sighed but couldn't think of anything else to say. Part of her was happy that the Princess wasn't trying to see him, but the other part hated to see her so defeated. Instead she shifted to watch Rei.

The Martian leveled her bow and pulled back the string. Makoto frowned, noting there was no arrow. She watched silently as the raven's face became a mask of concentration. Suddenly the bow glowed red and a flaming arrow manifested in her fingers. She released and the projectile flew forward, exploding against the low stone wall behind the targets.

"You missed," Makoto said dumbly. She couldn't believe what she'd just seen.

Rei snorted and turned to her. "I wasn't aiming for the targets. If I was there wouldn't be any left."

Makoto glanced at the smoking crater in the wall and back at the other soldier. "How did you do that?"

"You could probably do it too," Rei answered distractedly. "It's just like what Artemis showed us about charging our weapons."

Makoto stood slowly and pulled a javelin from her belt. "Can you show me?"

Rei nodded and gave her a half smile. "You won't need that." Makoto obediently put it back in her belt and stood next to the shorter girl. "Imagine you're holding it, as though you were going to throw it." Makoto dubiously cocked her arm back and curled her fingers around an imaginary one. "Now picture it charging with power, just like the other day."

She stared at the crater, focusing on the crackling power in her hands. There was a loud static buzz and a pointed bolt formed in her hand. She gave an excited whoop and threw it, hitting the crater with a deafening boom. Sparks flew with bits of marble as the electricity dissipated. "Wow," she breathed.

"You guys are getting really good at that," Serenity commented from the grass. "Can the other two do that too?"

Makoto cringed as Ami's face popped into her head. She shrugged quickly. "I'm not sure, the two of us have the most destructive powers." Serenity nodded and continued staring listlessly at the steadily growing crater.

She wondered again if she should try to speak to the Princess. She glanced at Rei for help but the Martian just shrugged and turned away. "Let's keep practicing."

-Five Days-

-Ami-

Ami sat in her room contemplating a glass by her bed. She held out a hand and smiled slightly as it filled with water. Any time she wasn't working with her scientists, she'd been practicing her powers. She could barely stand being in the same room as the others. The only times she'd seen them were during their awkwardly silent meals. Serenity's melancholy about the impending attack only made it worse.

She sighed and focused on the glass of water, freezing it. Absently, she ran a finger along the cool side, tracing through the condensation. A knock at her door startled her and she almost knocked it over. "Yes?" she called out, quickly dissipating the ice into a small cloud of mist.

"Your majesty?" A young Mercurian girl poked her head hesitantly into the room. "I was sent to give you a message." Ami wearily gestured her inside and the girl stood nervously before her.

After a moment of silence Ami had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "What was the message?" she asked as kindly as possible.

The girl curtsied and offered a timid smile. "Your Majesty, the armies have just arrived outside the royal city of earth. All scans and communications are functioning and they are preparing to advance."

Ami stood up quickly. "Thank you, I'll be up shortly," she said quietly. The girl scurried off and Ami stared at the empty doorway for a moment. Steeling herself, she picked up her communicator from the nightstand and pressed the center button. "This is Ami. The armies have arrived on Earth."

"How long ago?" Minako responded immediately.

"Just now," Ami replied, again sending the message to all of them. "If you'd like to monitor their progress come to the Queen's reception chamber."

She clipped the communicator to her belt, not bothering to respond to the various affirmations. With a heavy heart, she started toward the royal chambers. The door to the baths burst open in front of her and Minako emerged. Her hair was wet and she hurriedly tied the sash of her orange robe as she fell into step beside Ami.

"What have you heard so far?" she asked breathlessly.

"They just arrived outside the city." Ami cast a sideways look at the other girl as she combed her fingers through her wet hair. "Minako," she said, stopping in the hall, "nothing's going to happen right away. I'm sure you have time to put some clothes on."

Minako glanced down at herself and smirked. "Oh yea…" She spun and started back toward their rooms. "I'll see you up there."

Ami shook her head as she continued walking. _Some things never change_, she mused, smiling fully for the first time in days. She met Rei near the front gates. The Martian was wearing her leather armor and was fully armed. "I was on the training grounds," she explained unnecessarily. "Where are the others?"

"Minako went to change clothes." Ami noted a hastily repressed smile and snorted in amusement. "Typical, I know. I don't know where the Princess is or if she's coming."

Rei nodded and gave her a meaningful look. "And Makoto?" Ami shrugged and didn't answer. The subject in question jogged up to them a moment later from the direction of the gardens. She nodded to them in greeting but didn't speak, just fell into step on the other side of Rei.

They'd almost reached the Queen's chambers when a breathless Minako caught up to them. Her wet hair was tied back with the red scarf she was never without any more. "Hey guys," she panted, offering a pained smile. "Did I miss anything?"

Ami opened her mouth to respond when Princess Serenity appeared in front of them. They all stopped and silently faced her. Her eyes had dark circles under them and her mouth was drawn into a tight smile. "Is it alright if I watch the scans with you?" she asked softly.

"Of course," Rei said immediately. The others nodded and together, the five of them entered the reception room.

Queen Serenity's main system was set up much like it's predecessor in the Mercurian palace. Two large screens dominated one wall. One depicted a satellite view of the planet's surface. It was currently trained on the royal city and surrounding areas. It was too far away to see more than the dark shapes of buildings but Ami was sure it would show enough. The other was the black background where the energy scans would be projected. The city was mapped out in white.

"What's the status?" Ami asked the nearest technicians.

"Your Highness, we're just connecting to the scanners now. We should have the images up in twenty seconds."

She nodded and pulled up a nearby chair. The others followed suit and the five sat in a row facing the screens. Ami was on the end beside Rei, and Serenity sat between Rei and Makoto. She glanced around but didn't see Luna or Artemis anywhere. _Just as well_, she thought bitterly. She had no desire to face them.

The lights in the room were dimmed as the energy scan came up. The city map was almost completely obscured by a mass of red. Along the edges, a loose circle of blue was closing in.

"What is that?" Ami asked, indicating the thick blue band.

"We equipped each soldier with a heart monitor to keep track of where everyone was," someone answered distractedly. "Each blue dot is one of our soldiers."

Rei made a noise beside her and she shifted to look at the Martian. She was now scowling fiercely at the screen. "What's wrong?" Ami whispered to her.

Minako leaned around Makoto, who looked stunned. "That means we'll see each soldier that dies," she said flatly. They fell into uneasy silence as the blue circle began to tighten. Now it was only a matter of time.

-Four Days-

-Rei-

Rei rolled her shoulders distractedly, trying to loosen her aching muscles. She and the others had spent the better part of the last two days in the reception chamber. No one had spoken in hours, they all simply sat numbly watching the screens.

They'd abandoned the chairs long ago and were sitting close together on some cushions that the Venusians had brought them. Serenity was lying with her head in Rei's lap and her occasional sniffles were the only thing to break the tense silence in the room. Ami had her head resting on Rei's shoulder and was absently running her fingers through Serenity's hair. Makoto was leaned back on her elbows and Minako was curled at her side, leaning against her.

Clusters of blue dots were scattered across the map but were barely visible surrounded by red. Rei felt Ami sigh heavily when a blot of blue winked out and the nearby reds scattered.

Rei was reminded forcefully of the last time they'd been like this, watching the battle for Jupiter. Part of her wished that they hadn't added the scans of their own soldiers, but at the same time it felt important to have it. It seemed better somehow to mark each death.

At this point, however, it was barely more than an impersonal recording of a massacre. Their soldiers were so severely outnumbered it would be a miracle if even one survived. She felt a tear slide down her cheek but didn't bother wiping it away. She knew there was no point.

Two hours later, the last blue dot disappeared. The reds milled around for a few moments before everything froze. Ami straightened. "What happened?" she demanded in a tear-choked voice. "Did we lose the feed?"

The sound of furious typing echoed around the room. "No, your Majesty," someone replied, "It-" The technician broke off as the dots began moving again. They were all going toward the palace.

Makoto cleared her throat and stood, stretching. The others followed suit, Rei's legs flaring in protest as she put weight on them. She looked around and her gaze fell on Minako. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy but she was no longer crying. She squared her shoulders and looked toward the technicians. "How many are left?" she asked in a strained voice.

The room fell silent but for the sound of typing. Finally a young Mercurian boy twisted in his chair to face them. "Your highness, it appears that the Earth forces were reduced by approximately seventy percent."

She bit her lip and nodded. "Were there any survivors on our side?"

His face fell and he turned back to his screen. "No, your Highness."  
Rei swallowed the lump in her throat, instead opting to buckle her sword belt back on. Two thirds of the Earth army had been defeated, but that still left nearly a thousand of the monsters. The only soldiers left on the Moon were the palace guards. And them.

"What do we do now?" Serenity asked in a small voice. No one had an answer.

-Three Days-

-Minako-

Minako sat on the couch in the common room with her head in her hands. They were waiting for Luna and Artemis, who had called them for an emergency briefing. She'd barely slept the night before, she saw the surreal images of the battle every time she closed her eyes.

Ami was beside her with her computer open in her lap. She'd been linking it with the main system, but hadn't explained much beyond that. At this point, Minako hardly cared. There was nothing they could do now to stop the inevitable. Makoto and Rei were pacing on opposite sides of the table. They would occasionally stop to scowl out the window or at nothing, but neither had spoken since they'd arrived.

Minako looked up as the door opened and the two cats entered, looking grim. Luna cleared her throat and jumped onto the table and Artemis took a place in an empty chair. Makoto and Rei stopped and stood shoulder to shoulder facing them wearing identical scowls.

"The Queen has decided that the New Year's Ball will go on as planned," Luna informed them.

Minako felt her jaw drop but Makoto spoke before she could. "Are you kidding? That's the night the Earth is supposed to attack! She wants to have a party?"

"It seems to me," Ami added, "That having everyone in one place would only make us an easier target."

"It will be easier to defend the palace than try to protect the entire village," Artemis explained. "We'll be evacuating everyone to inside the walls. Lady Pluto thinks it is the best course of action."

"Is she back?" Minako asked. "Maybe we could talk to her and figure out some sort of strategy."

"She is currently with the Queen and a guest," Luna said evenly. "She'll be unavailable until the evening of the ball."

"As one of the last barriers between the Princess and-"

"What do you mean 'one of'?" Makoto snapped. Minako glanced at her fellow soldier and saw faint sparks running along her clenched fists.

"Lady Pluto has found another possible weapon," Artemis said calmly. "It would be a last resort and one we hopefully won't have to use."

"What kind of weapon?" Ami demanded. "Why are we just hearing of it now?"

"We can't really get into the nature of-" Luna began, but Rei cut her off.

"No," she growled, taking a step forward. "You can't do this to us again, not after everything that's happened."

"Rei's right," Minako said, trying to keep her voice steady. "We need to speak with her. We have to know what her plan is."

"I'm sorry, Mars, we can't tell you." Luna stared at her for a moment before shifting her gaze to Minako. "Venus, all of you, your job is to protect the Princess. Leave the rest to others."

No one spoke. Luna, seeming to think the matter was settled, continued. "On the night of the ball, you will be stationed in various parts of the ballroom. It is a masquerade so no one will be able to tell who you are. When you are summoned-"

"Get out." Minako's gaze darted to Rei in surprise. Her fists were clenched and glowing crimson.

"Mars, you're out of line," Artemis snapped.

"No, she's not," Ami whispered, standing as well. "You are. After everything we've sacrificed, everything we've done and the battles we've fought, you still don't trust us. If you're not willing to work with us fully, then we are no longer willing to work with you."

Minako got to her feet and moved to stand beside Ami. "We'll be at the ball and we will do everything we can to protect the Princess. But we'll do it without either of you."

"Venus-"

"Mars asked you to leave," Makoto growled through clenched teeth. "I think it's about time you did."

"This is insubordination bordering on treason!" Luna yelled, glaring at them. "The Queen will hear about this."

"Good," Minako replied, folding her arms across her chest. "Tell her that she and Lady Pluto are welcome to come speak with us about it. Until then, we will continue to do our duty. But we have no use for you." With that, she turned and strode out of the room. Wordlessly, the others followed her. They left Luna and Artemis alone in the room and none of them looked back.

-Two Days-

-Ami-

Ami walked toward the common room feeling numb. She'd just left the reception chamber. The satellites had confirmed what they had been expecting. The army of Earth had just left their planet and were on their way. The course they'd set meant that the monsters would arrive a day's march from the palace sometime that evening.

When she arrived, she found Rei just about to walk out. "Hey," Ami said dully.

The Martian frowned at her. "What's wrong?"

Ami stared at her friend for a long moment. "They're on their way. They'll reach the palace tomorrow night." Rei bit her lip and nodded slowly. "Where are the others?"

"Serenity's with her mother," she replied softly. "I haven't seen Minako or Makoto."

Ami moved past her and sat heavily on the couch. After a moment, Rei sat beside her. Neither of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Rei got to her feet. "We should see what's going on," she decided. Am nodded grimly and the two walked resignedly down to the palace grounds.

On their way, they passed crowds of people, most of whom were carrying luggage. They were being directed to various parts of the castle. At the front entrance hall, they found Minako talking to several other blondes. She smiled sadly as they approached her.

Rei eyed the group before slipping a protective arm around the other girl. "What's going on?"

Minako leaned against her and met Ami's questioning gaze. "They're evacuating the village. The Queen wants everyone inside the palace walls. I'm just helping organize things."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Ami asked, glancing past her to the front doors. More people were filing in as they spoke.

Minako shrugged. "I've got things taken care of here. Makoto's out by the front gate though." She leaned up to give Rei a long, thorough kiss before pulling away.

"Let's go check it out," Rei murmured. "We'll see you tonight," she promised Minako, giving her one more quick kiss. The blonde nodded, blinking rapidly. Ami offered her a small smile before she and Rei started toward the gates.

Makoto was talking to a group of Lunar guards. She raised her hand in a half-hearted wave when she saw them. "We're figuring out where to position the guards tomorrow night," she explained. "The smaller the area is that we're protecting, the better chance we'll have." She smiled bravely but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Ami moved closer to her and ran a hand lightly down the side of her face. "That's a good plan," she said gently. Makoto hugged her tightly and she felt a tremor run through the taller girl. She leaned up and caught her lips in a soft kiss. "Meet us in the common room tonight?" Makoto nodded, tightening her hold for a moment before releasing her.

With one last smile, Ami turned away and started toward the village. Rei fell into step beside her but didn't speak. When they reached the edge of the village, they found it completely deserted. It was eerie to see the darkened windows and empty streets. Ami stopped and stared around until her vision began to blur. She blinked and hastily wiped her eyes.

Beside her, Rei chuckled softly. Ami glanced at her in surprise and found her amethyst eyes staring off into the distance. "Remember coming here for Serenity's birthday?" she said softly. She started walking again and gestured to the tree where they'd hidden their masks. "You were so tense about sneaking out."

Ami smiled at the memory. "Me?" She laughed weakly. "You barely cracked a smile the entire night." They stopped in front of the pub they'd gone to long ago.

"We always seemed to be getting into trouble," Rei continued, smiling at the open doorway. "Getting the Princess arrested…"

Ami grinned at that. "She was so proud of herself for punching that guy." It had been a fun night, even if she couldn't really remember the end of it. "They didn't believe that she was actually the Princess."

Rei chuckled again. "I suppose that no one would expect her to be in the middle of a drunken bar fight. They were so mad at us."

"And then we…" Ami felt a lump rising in her throat. "And then…" She choked back a sob, dropping her gaze to the ground in front of her. She felt Rei place a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to die tomorrow," she managed in a whisper.

Rei pulled her close and she fell gratefully into the embrace. "Yes, I suppose we are," Rei said softly into her hair.

"Are you afraid?" Ami breathed, clinging to her comrade who had become so much more than that.

Rei tightened her arms around her. "Yes," she murmured. "But death is part of life. I would rather die fighting for something that matters. Or someone…"

Ami could feel the taller girl tremble slightly and her breathing hitch with unshed tears. She pulled back enough to meet the other girl's gaze. "You know," she said tearfully, "You're my family. Makoto and Minako and you. I'm glad that we'll all be together for the end."

Rei smiled and a tear slowly made it's way down her cheek. They held onto each other for another minute before slowly pulling apart. "Let's head back to the palace," Rei said quietly. "The others could probably use some company." Ami nodded. She looked once more at the village before turning away, feeling stronger than she had in a long time. Side by side, they made their way toward the gleaming white walls of the Moon palace.


	31. Last Night of our Lives Pt 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Well, this is it: the beginning of the end. Or the end of the end... Anyway, I couldn't seem to stop myself from typing so the last chapter is broken into parts. Don't worry, I'll be posting them both right away! Enjoy and as always let me know what you think! :)

-Minako-

Minako sighed softly and lifted her head from where it had been resting on Rei's shoulder. The Martian's eyes were closed and her ebony hair was fanned out across the bright yellow pillow. Minako smiled and leaned up to press a gentle kiss on her lips. "You're not falling asleep are you?" she purred, continuing to kiss along her jaw to her ear.

She felt the vibration as Rei chuckled quietly. "No, but I could." She looked at Minako through half-lidded eyes. "You wore me out." Minako grinned and allowed Rei to pull her closer, enjoying the feel of skin on skin. They'd been in Minako's room since just after lunch alternating between talking, napping and making love. It would be time to go to the ball soon and they wanted to enjoy every last second they had.

Minako dropped her head to Rei's chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart. Rei shifted beneath her and began running her fingers through her hair and gently massaging her scalp.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Minako breathed, curling her arm tightly around her waist.

Rei's fingers faltered for a moment before continuing their rhythmic movements. "Me too."

Minako swallowed and blinked back the tears before they could form. She would not be spending her last moments with Rei feeling sad. Instead she grinned and sat up, shifting so she was straddling the fire soldier. Amethyst eyes raked over her naked body and she felt the familiar tingle that always accompanied Rei's smoldering appraisals.

Rei smirked and sat up as well, pulling their bodies flush. "I love you," she breathed before kissing her passionately. Minako wrapped her arms around the strong shoulders, deepening the kiss. For that moment, the rest of the world didn't exist.

Finally they broke apart, both panting for breath and grinning. "I love you too," Minako said happily, kissing her nose lightly. She sat back on the fire soldier's thighs, studying her features. She wanted to engrain every inch of Rei in her memory. Lightly she ran her fingers along the scar next to her eyebrow.

"We should probably get dressed," Minako murmured, dropping her hand and sliding to the edge of the bed. Rei nodded and stood wordlessly. Minako watched as she pulled on her black pants and sleeveless shirt, admiring the ripple of her toned muscles as she moved. Rei met her gaze briefly and her lip twitched in an almost smirk before she silently left the room.

Once she was alone, Minako fell back onto the brightly colored blankets. She grinned to herself, remembering the feel of Rei's battle-hardened hands and the way they knew every inch of her body. She was pleasantly sore and more than ready for a long nap in her warrior's arms. Then she sighed. That would have to wait.

She slipped into her white uniform and carefully buckled on her golden plate armor. She took her time making sure each buckle was straight and every piece gleamed like new. She'd just thrown the dark orange cloak around her shoulders when Rei returned in full battle attire. The Martian smirked and picked the golden clasp from the bedside table. Minako allowed her to buckle it on, smiling at the look of intense concentration on the other girl's face.

"Thanks for making me look good," she murmured when Rei stepped back.

She raised a dark eyebrow and reached up to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind Minako's ear. "You don't need my help to look amazing." Minako grinned at her as she sheathed her scimitar and clipped on her chain. Then, hand in hand, the two made their way to the common room.

When they entered they found Makoto sprawled back on the couch and Ami leaned back against her with her computer open in her lap. Makoto tilted her head back to give them an upside down grin. "I wondered when we'd be seeing you two."

"We've been busy," Minako replied with a suggestive smirk. She heard Rei grumble something incoherent behind her and noted a blush spreading up the side of Ami's face. Makoto just chuckled and returned to her previous position with her arms wrapped loosely around the small bluenette.

"What are you two doing?" Rei asked, taking the open spot on Ami's other side. Minako sat behind her and cuddled close to her back so she could rest her chin on the black armored shoulder and watch the other two.

Ami glanced up at them briefly before returning her attention to her computer screen. "The army of Earth landed on the Sun-side of the Moon about six hours ago." The room fell completely silent at her words. "I've been charting their progress and, based on their average speed so far, I estimate that they'll reach the palace walls just before the stroke of Midnight."

"So we've got about five hours," Makoto commented, frowning. Ami nodded and closed the device, setting it on the floor beside the couch. Their silver and bronze armor was piled on the table and she stood tiredly to retrieve it. "I guess this is it," Makoto said softly, meeting Minako's gaze.

"It's not over yet," Minako said confidently, flashing a bright smile. "They don't know who they're messing with."

-Ami-

Ami smoothed her cloak absently as she, Makoto and Rei waited in the hall. The Princess was getting changed and they would be escorting her to the ballroom any minute.

"I almost forgot!" Minako cried, sprinting toward them clutching a small bag. "I got these from a vendor at the Venus camp a few days ago!" She held it up, grinning excitedly. She seemed completely unperturbed by their lack of enthusiasm.

They waited but she only continued to smile expectantly. Finally, Rei huffed softly. "Alright, what's in the bag?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Ami found herself smiling in spite of herself. Minako had a knack for improving the moods of people around her. With a flourish, the blonde reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of brightly colored… somethings.

Ami glanced at Rei, who was frowning, and Makoto, whose eyebrows were raised in confusion. Minako shook her head in mock exasperation. "What would you guys do without me," she chuckled. Carefully, she separated the glittering objects and handed one to Rei. The Martian's eye twitched as she stared down at the sparkling red and yellow accessory. Minako cheerfully ignored her reaction as she handed similar ones to Makoto and Ami.

"Masks?" Makoto asked blankly, studying her blue and green one intently. Minako nodded and slipped her own on. It was a reverse of Rei's, Ami noted, a glistening yellow edged with crimson. She adjusted her hair around it and looked at them expectantly.

"Well, I suppose it _is_ a masquerade," Ami conceded. Hers was blue trimmed with green and she had to admit the Venusian had thought it out well. She smiled as she slipped it over her head.

A moment later, the door beside them opened and the princess stepped out. She wore a long shimmering white gown trimmed in gold and had a matching iridescent white mask perched on her head. Ami tilted her head slightly, examining her hairstyle. She'd wrapped the majority of her long blonde hair into two tight buns and had the remainder hanging down from them in pigtails.

A flash of movement and a grunt drew Ami's attention to her fellow soldiers. Rei was scowling and rubbing the spot on her side where her chest and back armor plates met. Minako was smiling just a little too wide. "I like your new hair-do Serenity," she commented, prompting a chuckle from Makoto.

"Me too," the Jovian said quickly. She clearly didn't want to receive an elbow to the ribs like their tactless Martian comrade.

"Thank you," Serenity replied, smiling widely. "I like your masks. Are you all ready to go down?" The others hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded.

Ami steeled herself before falling into step beside Makoto in the rear of the group. Minako and Rei were shoulder to shoulder leading the way and Serenity was walking placidly between them all. The walk through the pristine marble hallways was silent and the closer they got to the ballroom, the more tense everyone seemed.

When they finally reached the entrance, they were greeted by a small crowd. Ami and the other soldiers dropped into a hasty bow when the Queen stepped up to them. She smiled, but Ami could see the deep sadness etched into her features. Lady Pluto stood stiffly at her shoulder, expression unreadable. A quick glance across the floor revealed Luna and Artemis sitting by the wall talking in low tones.

"You all look very nice," the Queen commented, looking them over. Her own outfit was white and silver, which complemented her hair nicely. She glanced back briefly, nodding to someone they couldn't see. "I'd like you all to meet someone."

A girl who looked to be close to their own age stepped forward and stood between Pluto and the Queen. Her armor was similar in design to their own, black clothing beneath black armor like Rei's and a cloak that was such a dark purple it almost looked black as well. She had ebony hair cut just below her jaw line that framed an unusually pale face. Ami would have thought she was Martian, but something about the deep violet eyes seemed off. Her gaze was so intense, Ami felt a shiver run up her spine when the girl focused on her.

Queen Serenity placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and smiled warmly. "Allow me to introduce my daughter Serenity and her Elite Guards: Minako, Rei, Makoto and Ami." She pointed to each of them as she spoke their names and they inclined their heads politely. Ami noticed that the Princess had drawn back slightly to press close between Rei and Makoto. She didn't blame her; something about the girl was extremely unsettling.

"This is Hotaru, Princess of Saturn." Ami's attention snapped back to the girl and she heard Minako gasp softly. She thought back to the stories she'd found in the last couple days, mostly folklore handed down from the other planets. Saturn was the planet of death and rebirth. She wondered if this girl controlled her planet's power like the rest of them did. The thought was chilling.

"It's nice to meet all of you," she said softly, focusing on each of them briefly. She stepped closer and Ami had to stop herself from blocking her progress as she approached Serenity. "Princess," she continued quietly, extending her hand, "it's an honor." Serenity took the proffered hand and offered a small curtsy. Saturn inclined her head, then released her and stepped back.

"Shall we?" The Queen smiled warmly at them before curling her hand around Pluto's upper arm. The dark haired woman nodded to them then turned to escort the Queen into the ballroom. Saturn glanced over them briefly before following the other two. Luna and Artemis nodded to Serenity, then moved to flank Saturn without looking at the guards once.

"Huh," Minako said softly. "Anyway, should we go in?" She seemed to be keeping her irritation in check with effort. Rei's eyes were narrowed to slits, watching the doorway. Makoto had her arms crossed tightly, glaring at the same spot as the Martian.

"Right," Ami said loudly, drawing the attention of the other two. She smiled at Serenity and linked her arm through Makoto's. "Let's go enjoy the party. We've still got plenty of time."

Minako shot her a grateful smile before catching Rei's hand and starting forward. Serenity followed close behind them, chattering excitedly about the new princess. Ami started to move forward as well, but Makoto held her back.

"You're right, you know," she murmured, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

"About what?" Ami breathed, unconsciously pressing closer to her.

"The Earth army won't be here for another four hours," Makoto replied, stroking down Ami's arm above her alloy gauntlet. "Would you care to join me in the gardens for an hour or two before that?"

Ami felt herself blush and shot a guilty look past the Jovian to the ballroom entrance. _Minako and Rei are with her right now_, she reasoned, biting her lip lightly. _And she's perfectly safe with them for a little while_. She stared up into hopeful emerald eyes for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Alright, let's go."

-Rei-

Rei scanned over the crowd as they descended the stairs. It seemed that every single person from the village and surrounding camps had crowded into the room. Most of the older people were either blond or bluenette and children of every race were bunched around them. She let her gaze travel past them. All along the walls, racks were lined up and piled high with swords, knives, bows and other assorted weapons. When the time came, she knew, everyone would arm themselves and be forced to fight to the death.

For a moment, she could see it clearly just how she had long ago. _Shadows were sliding along the ground, rushing toward the palace gates. They took form long enough to claw through wood and smash marble, until only charred rubble remained. People were panicking; fighting to reach the weapons as the monsters came pouring in from all sides. Shadows and fire and death… the smell of burning flesh…_

Minako's fingers brushed her hand, snapping her back to the present. She glanced down at the shorter girl. "Don't look so serious," she whispered. "Everyone's looking at us."

Rei glanced around and realized she was right. The crowd had quieted when they'd entered and now hopeful faces were watching them from every corner of the room. '_You're the ones with the power to protect her now_.' The words came back to her and she realized that these people were looking to them for strength.

She met Minako's cerulean eyes briefly and an understanding passed wordlessly between them. Both girls smiled and raised a hand in greeting and the crowd burst into applause.

With some effort they made it to the refreshment area. Serenity immediately snatched a glass of punch and began gulping it down. Rei smirked and turned away from her to face Minako.

"So I think we should take turns keeping close to-" Minako broke off and looked around quickly. "Where are Ami and Makoto?"

Rei glanced around in confusion. "They were right behind us…"

Minako threw up her hands in exasperation. "We're supposed to be on guard tonight!" She glared at the doorway at the top of the stairs. "I'm sure they snuck off to-" She shot a look at Serenity, but the other blonde was staring across the room completely oblivious. "Well, anyway, I guess the first shift is ours," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

Serenity turned back to face them, smiling brightly. "I'm going to go up to the dais for a bit to speak with my mother." Before either of them could respond, she'd shot off across the dance floor. Rei watched the top of her elaborate hairstyle weave through the crowd until she emerged on the raised platform where the Queen sat. Rei couldn't help but chuckle when, instead of going to her mother, Serenity made a beeline for Princess Saturn.

"I'm sure she'll be fine up there for a while," Minako said softly. Rei tore her gaze away to find the Venusian watching her. "Dance with me?"

Rei smiled and caught her hand loosely. She led her onto the dance floor just as a slow song came on. Minako immediately pressed close to her and buried her face in the side of Rei's neck. Rei sighed softly and wrapped her arms around her goddess, closing her eyes and swaying slowly to the music.

-Serenity-

Serenity smiled brightly as she passed her mother, who was deep in conversation with Setsuna. Both of them paused to give her quizzical stares but she simply waved and kept walking. The princess of Saturn was standing alone on the edge of the dais, staring out at the waltzing couples.

Timidly Serenity touched the girl's upper arm, trying to get her attention. The girl turned her intense dark eyes on her and Serenity was rendered momentarily speechless. "Where are your guards, Princess?" she asked quietly, glancing around in concern.

Serenity smiled and inched closer to the intriguing girl. "They're close by, I'm sure," she replied, waving a delicate hand toward the dance floor. Princess Saturn's eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze darted across the crowd. "How are you enjoying the Moon? Is it your first time here? I forgot your name, but I promise I'll remember it after this!"

Princess Saturn was silent for a moment, confusion passing across her features. "My name is Hotaru," she said finally. She bit her lip, dropping her gaze briefly before offering a ghost of a smile. "I like the Moon. It's really pretty here."

Serenity grinned excitedly. Apparently the girl _did_ have a softer side. "Do you want to dance?" she asked brightly.

What little color Hotaru had in her face drained away at the words. "Dance?" she choked out, eyes widening.

Serenity bit back a smile as she was forcibly reminded of when she'd first met Rei. "I'll show you how, if you want," she reassured the other girl. "Please?"

Hotaru sighed and nodded, allowing herself to be led onto the dance floor. They stopped at the first clear area they found and Serenity expertly arranged the other girl's limbs. Hotaru stayed silent, watching her every move intently. "Okay then," Serenity chirped, placing a hand on the armored shoulder. "Now we just move with the music."

Three songs in, Hotaru seemed to have figured out the basics. She moved with the fluid grace of a warrior, but she hadn't spoken or cracked a smile since they'd started. Serenity was just debating a new way to draw her into conversation when the soldier abruptly froze. Looking up, Serenity realized a tall masked man had approached them and was smiling politely.

"Would you allow me the honor of the next dance?" he asked, bowing low. Hotaru nodded tersely and all but fled back to the dais.

Serenity chuckled and turned to face the stranger. He wore a finely cut black suit trimmed in white and a white mask hiding his face. He held out a beautiful red rose and she laughed as she accepted it. His dark blue eyes studied her intently and suddenly she gasped. "Endymion."

She turned away, looking for one of her guards, but he caught her wrist. "Princess, please," he pleaded softly. "Please, just one dance. Then I promise to leave you alone."

His voice and the warmth of his hand triggered a flood of memories. She felt her resolve waver and turned back toward him. Doubtfully, she caught his hand loosely and allowed him to lead her back to dance floor. "What are you doing here?" she demanded as soon as they began moving.

His mouth twisted in a sad smile and she noticed a faded bruise and the scab of a badly split lip. "Your mother, the Queen, allowed me my freedom for the evening." Serenity frowned, wondering what he meant. He continued before she could ask. "I'm sorry. For everything."

She dropped her gaze, willing herself not to cry. It felt as though she'd finally come to terms with everything that had happened on Earth. Now, here he was ripping open the wounds that had just barely begun to close. "Everything?" she managed to whisper around the lump in her throat.

He sighed heavily. "For betraying your trust," he said softly. "And for hurting you. I never wanted that."

Serenity bit her lip, looking into his eyes to try to find the truth there. Finally, she nodded. Wordlessly, she moved closer to him and allowed his arms to wrap around her.

Serenity swayed slowly along with the beat, keeping her eyes closed and her head resting lightly against Endymion's chest. There were so many questions, but she'd promised him this one dance. Whatever else, she was determined to allow herself these few minutes.

She felt him tense as the song drew to a close and pulled back to study his face. He smiled sadly and watched her, waiting. "What are you doing here?" she asked again, fidgeting nervously with the rose in her hand.

His dark brows drew together. "I told you, Princess, your mother freed me for the evening."

Serenity stepped back from him, shaking her head. "What do you mean, freed you?" She narrowed her eyes, focusing on his injured lip. "And what happened to you? Did your people hurt you when you left?"

"My people?" he repeated dumbly.

Serenity could feel her irritation growing and pulled completely out of his grasp. "If you're not going to tell me the truth, I'm going to find my guards and be done with you," she threatened in a whisper. "This is your last chance."

His blue eyes widened as though her last words had finally broken through his stupor. He murmured something and she stepped closer, crossing her arms defensively across her chest. "What?" she demanded coolly.

"They didn't tell you," he said flatly, staring hard at her. She raised an eyebrow in question and he touched his split lip with shaking fingers. "My people didn't do this to me," he said slowly, "yours did. A week ago, when I arrived here."

_A week ago. _Serenity thought back, trying to make sense of his words. A week ago, they'd sent the armies to Earth. Back then the attack had seemed premature, almost reckless. The timing made sense now. Then other things began to fall into place. Her guards had been exchanging meaningful looks and purposely steering conversations away from Earth and the attack all week. Ami had been preoccupied. Minako distant. Makoto aggressive and Rei barely containing herself all week…

"They knew," she breathed, more to herself than to him. She felt tears filling her eyes but blinked them away furiously as she met his gaze. "You've been here all this time, haven't you." He dropped his gaze, confirming the statement. "They all knew and none of them told me." She choked back a sob and spun away from him, running blindly through the crowd.

_They lied to me. _The words repeated themselves in her mind over and over, drowning out all other thought. She didn't apologize to the people she bumped into; she could barely see them through the blur of tears.

She pushed past a thick curtain and abruptly found herself out on one of the balconies. She stumbled to a halt against the railing and leaned against it. Directly above her, she could see the Earth shining brightly against the black sky. She looked down instead at the rose tightly clutched in her hand. Gently, she set it on the wide white railing and stared down at it. The sight, and the memories it induced, broke through the last of her resolve. Dropping her forehead to the railing, she began to sob helplessly.

She felt a warm hand on her back, rubbing small circles against her bare skin. "Princess."

"Don't," she said softly, turning to face him. He pulled his hand back, but she caught it and twined their fingers together. "Don't call me Princess. Please, not tonight."

He nodded and caught her free hand as well, holding them both between his larger, calloused ones. "Whatever you'd like, Serenity," he replied, smiling. He glanced past her, into the sky, and a shadow of sadness passed over him. "Perhaps, you'd allow me one last dance?"

She nodded and moved closer, slipping her hands behind his neck. They could barely hear the music through the thick curtain, but it didn't matter. She knew, just like everyone else, that tonight would bring their world crashing down. So for a little while, she would allow herself to bask in the memory of her love.


	32. Last Night of our Lives Pt 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Makoto-

Makoto could feel herself drifting off in the soft grass. She was lying on her side with an arm curled around Ami's bare waist and her face pressed lightly to the side of her neck.

"Mako?" She felt Ami run a finger along her arm lightly. With a sigh, she pushed herself up on her elbows to hover over the other girl. Ami smiled up at her and ran her hands along Makoto's sides. "Do you think we should go back and find the others?"

Makoto pouted and leaned down to kiss her neck. "There's no way it's been four hours yet," she protested between trailing kisses down her throat.

Ami giggled beneath her and pushed her shoulder lightly. Makoto sighed and pulled away to sit up. Before she could, however, Ami had flipped her over and was now straddling her hips and grinning wickedly. "You're right." She leaned down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Ami shifted to begin an assault on her neck and Makoto let her head fall back to the grass. Distantly she heard a sound like crunching gravel and her eyes, which had begun to drift shut, snapped open. She tilted her head, staring at the high shrubbery around them as though she could see through it to the source of the noise.

"Did you hear something?" she whispered, glancing down at the bluenette.

"No," Ami replied immediately, keeping her focus on the patch of skin above Makoto's collarbone. Makoto smiled and ran a hand lightly through Ami's hair. Her kisses were just beginning to drift lower when the sound came again. It was louder this time and Ami's head jerked up.

Makoto sat up quickly and Ami scrambled up to crouch beside her. Both girls frowned through the thick foliage, trying to discern where the sound was coming from. "The wall?" Makoto suggested uncertainly. She reached past Ami for her white pants, but froze as another sound reached them. Someone screamed, then was abruptly cut short.

Instantly, both girls were on their feet, dressing hurriedly. "It can't be the Earth army," Ami insisted as she tightened a strap on her back plate. "It's too soon."

"Maybe it's just a few people from the ball out to get some air," Makoto replied as she fitted on a bronze thigh piece. Ami grimaced but didn't respond. They both knew that wasn't the case. As though to confirm this, a flash of light momentarily lit up the sky. It was followed almost immediately by a thundering rumble that could only be crumbling stone.

Makoto snapped her staff into her back harness and turned toward Ami, who was hurriedly fastening her belt. "Ami?" The bluenette ignored her as she hefted her rifle over her head and settled the strap across her shoulder. "Ami!"

"What?" she snapped, finally facing her. Her azure eyes were brimming with uncharacteristic tears and Makoto closed the distance between them. She pulled the shorter girl into a tight embrace and felt Ami immediately wrap her arms around her in return.

"Whatever happens," Makoto said softly into her hair, "I just want you to know that I love you. I don't regret the choices we made, it was worth it."

"I know," Ami replied, voice muffled as she buried her face in the deep green cloak. "I love you too. I barely knew what that word meant before I met you." She pulled back to lean up and give Makoto a long, lingering kiss.

Side by side, the two wound their way through the maze of tall bushes and plants. Makoto was thankful she'd spent so much time out here now; she could find her way through the sprawling gardens with her eyes closed. They reached the marble steps quickly and turned at the top to survey the scene.

Makoto felt her chest tighten when her eyes fell on the front gates. Even from this distance, she could see where the white stone had cracked apart and large chunks had fallen away. The wall was blackened in numerous places and smoke was rising from the splintered wooden gates.

"Ami?" a familiar voice shouted.

"Minako, where are you?" Makoto turned to find Ami with her communicator clutched in bloodless knuckles.

"We're in the ballroom. It's total chaos in here! Where are you two?"

Ami bit her lip guiltily as she met Makoto's gaze. "We're on our way," she replied tensely. She clipped the device back onto her belt and turned to look out over the landscape. "We need to get to the ballroom. The fastest way is to cut across the gardens to the courtyard-"

"Look out!" Makoto caught her shoulders and threw them both sideways. They hit the marble floor with a loud clatter of armor a moment before something crashed into the wall in front of them.

Ami lifted her head, staring at the crater with wide eyes. "What was that?" she asked in awe.

Makoto shook her head. It had looked like a ball of blue-black fire. They scrambled to their feet and cautiously edged toward the doorway. Makoto pressed against the wall and stuck her head around the corner. The sky lit up again as another huge projectile sailed over them and hit the palace wall above them with a deafening crash. Makoto pulled back, shielding her face as bits of stone and marble rained down onto the stairs.

She looked out past the wall to where the fireball had come from. Distantly, she could see the outline of huge, pointed contraptions silhouetted against the dimly lit sky. As she watched, some sort of arm swung around one of them, launching another fireball at the palace.

"They've got some sort of weapon over there," she explained over her shoulder. Ami moved closer to her side, staring in the same direction. Makoto followed the line, counting at least six of the monstrous machines. Another one launched and the ground beneath their feet shook from the impact.

Makoto stepped away from the wall, focusing her power as she cocked her arm back. Familiar tingles ran down her hand as a bolt materialized in her fist. She took aim at the closest one and threw. They watched as the bolt arced up, a small point of green light in the darkness. Then it came down in an explosion of sparks that lit up the entire area. The machine it struck shattered violently and Makoto grinned.

She narrowed her eyes, trying to readjust to the darkness and find her next target. "Oh no," Ami breathed beside her. She looked down to find the shorter girl shouldering her rifle. Then she realized what Ami was seeing. The bushes at the edge of the gardens had ignited, as though something were burning a path through the foliage toward them.

_They saw us_, Makoto realized. She looked again at Ami, who stood utterly still as she focused grimly on her rifle sight. She glanced out again at the spot where the shadow creatures approaching and forced herself to make a decision.

"Ami." She caught the barrel of the rifle loosely and pointed it downward, away from the approaching enemies. The Mercurian gave her a questioning look. "Go up to the ballroom. I'll hold them off here."

Azure eyes widened before narrowing to slits. "No. You can't possibly hold off that many by yourself! Have you lost your-"

"Ami!" she interrupted, grasping her silver-plated shoulders roughly. "We have to protect the Princess! I can try to destroy more of those weapons from here and keep the monsters from getting into the palace." She smiled sadly, and added, "At least for a while."

Ami shook her head violently. "I'm not letting you do this alone!" she insisted.

Makoto chuckled softly, lifting a hand to cup Ami's face. "You've always been the smart one, you know this is the best option. The Princess's safety is the most important thing."

She could see the wheels turning in Ami's head and the darkening of her expression as she came to the same conclusion. For a moment, her lip trembled and Makoto wanted to take the words back. She didn't want Ami to go without her. She didn't want to leave the other girl alone. Before she could open her mouth, Ami's lips were pressed against hers. Their eyes met but neither of them spoke. Ami caught her hand, squeezed briefly, then turned and sprinted down the hall toward the center of the palace.

Makoto watched her until she rounded the corner then turned back to the gardens. The burning path had nearly reached her and she braced herself. Silently, she vowed to last as long as possible against them. For Ami.

-Serenity-

Serenity pulled back from the warm circle of Endymion's arms and looked out over the balcony. Barely discernable over the music, she thought she'd heard a crackle like static. Past the wall, she could see a small pinpoint of light. She stepped away from the prince and squinted to try and see better. "What is that?" she wondered, pointing toward it.

Behind her, she heard him let out a shaky breath and turned around. "Endymion?" she questioned uncertainly. Far below them, she could hear faint shouts and a low rumble like thunder. Nervously, she stepped back from him until the railing was pressed against her back. His eyes were narrowed through his mask and glaring at the horizon behind her. "Endymion, what's happening?"

His eyes snapped back to her and she flinched. Had it all been a lie again, she wondered. Was she really so naïve? So stupid? She felt a lump rising painfully in her throat. On the other side of the curtain she could hear screaming, but the sound barely registered over the blood pounding in her ears.

Endymion looked around desperately, then growled in frustration. "Endymion!" she nearly screamed. He spun to face her, looking startled. They stared at each other for a long moment. "Tell me the truth: whose side are you on?"

He stepped closer, keeping his eyes locked on her. "Yours." Abruptly, he pulled her into a fierce hug and she didn't hesitate to return it. "I need to find a weapon," he murmured. She nodded and caught his hand to lead him back to the ballroom.

Before they could, however, shouting sounded on the other side of the curtain. "Wait," Endymion said between clenched teeth. The sounds of clashing metal were so loud, it could have been right next to them. Serenity cringed closer to him and he slipped a protective arm around her shoulders. He moved slightly so he was between her and the curtain. He glanced down at her and flashed a charming smile. "Don't be afraid. Whatever happens, I'll protect you."

-Minako-

Minako felt the ground tremble under her feet. It was barely noticeable, but it was enough. She pulled away from Rei and met the blazing amethyst stare. "They're here," the Martian stated calmly, pushing her glittering mask back to rest on top of her head. Minako swallowed heavily and nodded, doing the same with her own.

She kept a firm grip on Rei's forearm as she looked around the ballroom. All around them couples were swaying to the music, blissfully unaware of what was coming. Minako turned toward the dais and saw the Queen and Lady Pluto both frozen in place, heads turned toward the double doors at the top of the main staircase. Princess Saturn strode stiffly toward them and leaned close to say something. To Minako's dismay, Princess Serenity was not among them.

Trying to stay nonchalant, Minako lifted her communicator close to her mouth and pressed the pink button. "Serenity?" She waited, glancing at Rei who was surveying the crowd calmly. When there was no response, she tried again. "Serenity are you there?"

"Are you sure she's got her communicator with her?" Rei growled close to her ear.

Minako's eyes widened in horror as she tried to picture what the princess had been wearing. She'd been so preoccupied with the new hairstyle, she hadn't noticed. "Gods, I can't remember," Minako breathed, looking around frantically. "We need to find her."

Rei nodded tersely and caught her hand, then started toward the dais. Abruptly, a loud crash sounded outside the main doors. Everyone in the room froze and turned toward the sound.

Minako could only stare in mute horror as her nightmares seemed to manifest before her eyes. A patch of darkness slid through the open doors and down the stairs like an inky puddle. It was followed by more until the white staircase was almost black with shadows. People stumbled backward, trying to get away from them and toward the weapon racks by the walls. Over the heads of the panicking crowd, the first monster rose up and took form. Finally someone screamed.

The sound triggered everyone else in the room, and people began to frenzy. Minako shook her head, snapping herself out of her daze. "Rei!" she shouted over the din of the crowd. The Martian pulled her gaze from the scene by the stairs to focus on her. "We've got to find the Princess!"

Minako pushed her way through the throngs of people pressing in on them from all sides. With effort, she fumbled her communicator from her belt and pressed the blue button. "Ami?" she had to shout to be heard over the screaming crowd.

"Minako where are you?"

Minako heard Rei grunt as someone slammed into them. She reached back to catch the other girl's hand. "We're in the ballroom. It's total chaos in here!" She looked around desperately, trying to decide which direction to go. "Where are you two?"

There was a pause and she felt Rei press close to her back. "We're on our way," Ami replied shortly.

Minako stared down at her communicator, annoyed at the vague response. Shaking her head, she switched directions and started toward the stairs. Someone pushed roughly past them, knocking the orange device from Minako's hand. "Damn it," she growled, trying to see it between the fleeing feet.

"Leave it!" Rei shouted, jerking her away. "They'll be here. And I've still got mine."

Minako nodded and followed the other girl as she elbowed her way through the masses. Ahead of them, a shadow monster was looming above a knot of frightened people. The room was beginning to fill with smoke and Minako had to force herself not to look down at the charred bodies already littering the floor. _Fire and shadows and death. The smell of burning flesh. _Rei's words came back to her suddenly and, looking around, she wished with all her heart that the other girl had been wrong.

She felt a rush of heat as Rei's sword and knife ignited. The Martian looked over her shoulder at her and Minako nodded once, drawing her own weapons. Around them the crowd parted, watching in awe as they advanced on the nearest shadow monster. Minako looked around at them. "Get to the walls and arm yourselves!" she shouted, gesturing with her scimitar. "They can be killed, just like anything else!" Given new purpose, the people surged toward the racks. There was nothing else she could do for them. Instead, she focused on the monster in front of them.

Minako and Rei squared off side by side to face the creature. It's massive black fists were clenched and it tensed, watching them. The slight twitch of Rei's sword was all the indication Minako needed to charge the creature. There was a sizzling hiss as Rei's flaming sword caught under the creature's arm and sliced neatly through it. At the same moment, Minako swung her chain to wrap around it's other wrist and slice deep into it's side with her own sword. Black blood spilled onto the white stone beneath her feet and she stepped back as the creature shuddered and fell forward.

Minako twitched her left wrist to pull her chain back, but met resistance. Another creature had caught the free end of the weapon and was gripping it tightly. Minako snorted softly, looking at her own hand and the thick scar that spiraled from beneath her gauntlet. With a quick twist, she released the chain and swung down at the creature, severing both it's hands. It screeched in inhuman agony and fell back with it's fellows.

"Minako!" She didn't have time to turn as she was yanked backward, away from the monsters. As soon as she moved, a group of villagers took her place. They were all armed and facing the creatures with grim determination. She looked over her shoulder to see that Rei was still tugging her backward, away from the fray.

Minako wrenched her arm out of the Martian's grip and stared at her furiously. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "We've got to help them!"

Rei didn't respond, simply scowled and pointed toward the wall behind them. Minako felt her jaw drop as she recognized the four figures skirting along the wall. She felt her fury rise and took off toward them, trusting Rei to be by her side.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded, once she was close to them. She smirked viciously as four pairs of eyes found her.

"A pleasure to see you again, Princess Venus," General Zoicite said with a slight bow before drawing his sword. The other three Earthlings followed suit, standing shoulder to shoulder in front of one of the curtained balconies.

Zoicite sneered at her then turned and charged toward Rei with his sword raised. She parried the blow easily, showering embers across the floor.

Minako turned away to face the others, still wearing her cocky smirk. General Nephrite gripped both hands around the handle of his mace and raised it over his shoulder. Reflexively, Minako flicked her left hand but realized a moment too late that she'd lost her chain. To her amazement, however, as her hand made the practiced movements a glowing golden chain materialized in her fist. It wrapped around both of his wrists and he screamed in agony.

Without pausing to think about what she'd just done, Minako jerked him forward and plunged her scimitar through the joint in his armor. She felt the weapon slide up between his ribs and saw his eyes widen before the mace slipped from his slackened grip. She let out a hard breath and braced her foot against his stomach, then pulled her sword from his body. She blinked, feeling dazed, as her sword sent a spray of crimson droplets across the pristine marble floors. _The same color as Rei's cloak_, she thought detachedly. It was strange; usually the blood she spilled was black.

Nephrite's body slumped to the floor and the sight brought her forcefully back to the present. She looked up just as the other blond, Jadeite, brought his own sword down at her head. She dodged sideways, feeling the breeze as the blade missed her by scant inches. She realized her other hand was empty and tried to focus her thoughts enough to call back the ethereal chain.

Jadeite elbowed her sharply in the chest. She stumbled and hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs. Instantly, he was on her again. His face was twisted in fury and she was surprised to see tears streaming down his cheeks. He pinned her sword arm down with a knee and raised his sword.

There was a clatter of metal to her side and a moment later, scarred hands had caught him by the shoulders. Minako registered that the black leather gauntlets belonged to Rei a second before Jadeite let out a blood-chilling scream.

Minako threw her free arm across her eyes to shield them against the sudden brightness. She felt the man's weight lift off of her and rolled away. A blast of heat rolled over her and she saw up, staring. Rei dropped the General's body and stepped back, shooting Minako a questioning look. Minako nodded once, signaling that she was alright. She tried not to look at the ugly scorches that covered what remained of the blond man. Steeling herself, she got to her feet and moved beside Rei to face the other two Earthlings.

Both men looked utterly shocked at what they'd just seen. They exchanged a brief look and their expressions hardened. "She's through there," Zoicite snarled, jerking his head to indicate something behind him. "I'll hold them off, you take care of her." The blond held a long sword in each hand and raised them menacingly.

Kunzite nodded once and charged through the curtain behind them. Minako looked past Zoicite, confused. Then they heard a familiar voice shriek in fear. "Princess!" she gasped, charging forward. Rei was on her other side and they attacked at the same time. He deflected them both and forced them back toward the chaotic ballroom. He was an excellent swordsman and, as Minako looked past him to the curtain again, she realized they were running out of time.

-Makoto-

Makoto smiled in satisfaction as another of the war machines fell in an electric-green explosion. That was three of the six down, but the rest would have to wait. The bush directly in front of her was engulfed in flames and several shadows slid beneath the remains toward her. Determinedly, she positioned herself in the middle of the ruined doorway and grasped her staff in both hands.

The shadows materialized at the bottom of the short flight of stairs, revealing four of the shadow monsters. She straightened and cast a last glance toward the sky. She imagined that she could see the dot of Jupiter off in the distance; the ghosts of her people cheering her on.

As the creatures approached, she focused her energy and laughed maniacally as a loud static buzz sounded. Arcs of electricity ran the length of her weapon and she stepped forward.

The creatures converged on her, all attacking at once. She felt a white-hot hand graze her cheek and swung the heavy end of her staff toward it. There was a sickening crunch as it made solid contact and sparks flew in all directions as it stumbled back. All conscious thought stopped as she continued to battle the monsters. Her entire focus was on the intricate dance of battle. She twisted as one stabbed a spear-like arm at her face, then reversed and shattered the appendage with a sharp twist of her weapon. She arced it forward then, using the momentum to bring the serrated edge down on a monster's head.

Makoto continued to parry their attacks and land heavy blows on every reachable part of them. She barely noticed that the ground beneath her feet was becoming slick with black blood or that more of the creatures were closing in on her position. She felt a burning pain on her upper thigh, just above her armor and twisted to block the attack. However, the movement unbalanced her and her foot slid on the blood-covered marble. She fell hard on her back and felt another burning fist land a blow on her shoulder. A harder hit jarred her through her chest plate and her body curled forward reflexively. The heat around her was almost unbearable against her bruised skin. The monsters surrounded her and she braced for the inevitable.

Abruptly, there was a flash of light and a loud crack. The monster directly in front of her staggered backward and fell. She felt it's hot blood splash over her legs and pulled her feet back, struggling to sit up. Another monster fell sideways, it's right arm and most of it's torso blown away. Flash after flash continued along with the thunderous bursts. Makoto scooted backward until her back was against the wall, staring as the monsters fell one by one.

Finally, a ringing silence fell. Makoto stared at the black bodies as they began to melt and soak into the cracks in the marble. Finally she lifted her gaze to the hand in her face. A hand encased in a dark blue metal alloy. "Ami?"

"Can you stand?" Makoto nodded and allowed the other girl to help her to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" Makoto asked weakly, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.

Ami gave her a soft smile and moved closer to her. "I couldn't go." She reached up to run her fingers gently along Makoto's jaw line. When she pulled them back, her fingertips were stained black. "I couldn't leave you here alone."

Makoto felt tears slide helplessly down her cheeks. She took a gasping breath and pulled Ami close. "What about the others? What about the Princess?"

Ami shook her head, pressing even closer to her. "I'm sorry," she replied. "I couldn't leave you."

They held each other for a long moment, finally pulling away at the sound of cracking branches. Makoto turned toward the remains of the gardens, picking out the shapes of a dozen more shadows moving toward them. "Alright," she decided, hefting her staff in aching arms, "let's take care of these and head toward the ballroom." Ami nodded and leveled her rifle at the bottom of the stairs.

The monsters were coming faster now and it was all they could do to hold them back as they inched their way backward down the hallway. Every time one of the creatures would fall, another was there to take it's place. Makoto kept mostly on the defensive, holding the creatures back so Ami could pick them off one by one.

She almost didn't see the small spot of black sliding along the ceiling. She glanced up just as it seemed to drip down, shifting into a solid animal-like form as it fell. Makoto grasped both hands around one end of her staff and swung, connecting with it in midair. The force of the blow split the creature cleanly in two, it's lower half sailing over the heads of the others. The upper half, in it's death throes, swiped it's hands desperately and managed to catch Ami's arm. It's claws dug deep into her forearm and it swung around, colliding with her rifle. She managed to shake the creature off, but her rifle had begun to hiss and spark menacingly. Her eyes widened and Makoto could only watch in horror as she threw the now useless weapon behind her down the hallway. Moments later it exploded violently, and the force knocked them both back a step.

The walls trembled and the girls were forced to fling themselves back toward the creatures to avoid being buried under a huge section of the ceiling as it collapsed. Gasping, Makoto struggled to her feet and tried to see through the settling dust. "Ami?" she called desperately.

"I'm alright," Ami yelled back, coughing as she stumbled toward her. Her gaze traveled past Makoto to the hallway and widened. Makoto turned as well and froze, staring. The entire hallway was blocked. She turned back to where the creatures were recovering from their shock and starting toward them again. They were trapped. Her eyes met Ami's again as the shorter girl pulled out her long knives. Ami smiled at her and she returned it. This was it, she realized. They would not leave this hallway. Her mind jumped to Rei and Minako and she hoped that they were together and alright. She hoped they had made it to the Princess and that somehow, they could protect her. She nodded once more to Ami and, together, they turned to face the monstrous horde.

-Serenity-

Serenity couldn't help but scream as the curtain was violently thrown open. It took a moment for her to recognize the tall figure smiling cruelly at them. "Master Endymion," Kunzite said evenly, bowing low. "Well done." He straightened, leveling his gaze on Serenity. "Let's finish this now."

Trembling, she turned to face Endymion. His cornflower eyes were darting between them, finally settling intently on her. She tried to speak but her throat was closing up in terror. She only managed a startled squeak as he lunged at her. She jumped back, colliding painfully with the stone railing behind her. Their faces were only inches apart, his hands braced on either side of her. Fearfully, she raised her eyes to meet his and was surprised to find tears there.

"I love you Serenity," he whispered.

He spun back around, clutching the rose that she'd left on the railing. In one fluid motion, he flung it at the general. It flew dart-like at his face and grazed across his cheek as Kunzite flung himself sideways. Endymion charged forward, slamming his shoulder into the General's chest and knocking him back against a pillar.

"Traitor!" he hissed, squaring off against his former prince. They turned, facing off, until Kunzite's back was to Serenity. Both hands flew over her mouth to stifle a scream as she saw Endymion's hand yank the knife from the General's belt. She turned her face away a second too late to miss the knife plunging into the man's side.

For a moment, everything was silent, then shuffling footsteps edged closer to her. She opened her eyes to see Endymion still had his hand on the knife hilt and the other on Kunzite's shoulder. He was walking the General backward toward the balcony. Serenity hurriedly backed away from the pair. It was only then, when she was behind Endymion, that she saw the point of the General's sword protruding through the Prince's back.

"No! Endymion!" She rushed toward them but it was too late. He turned to look at her over his shoulder and smiled, his lips and teeth stained crimson with blood. Then both men tipped over the side of the railing and plunged to the darkness below.

-Rei-

Rei parried another of Zoicite's thrusts as she looked desperately past him. Kunzite had disappeared through the curtain several minutes ago and she was sure the Princess was back there as well. For all she knew, they might already be too late.

Minako was thrown against her and nearly knocked them both to the floor. She was panting hard and had both hands wrapped around the handle of her scimitar, swinging almost wildly in her exhaustion. "It's no good," she panted, pressing close to Rei's shoulder. "He's too strong, we're not going to beat him like this."

Rei frowned, studying him. He watched them calmly from his position in front of the curtain, swinging the swords easily by his sides. She glanced at Minako. Her face was flushed and her blonde bangs were matted to her forehead with sweat. She was still beautiful. "What if we attacked him together," Rei suggested just as the idea hit her.

Minako gave her a questioning look. "Isn't that what we've been doing?" she demanded between heaving breaths.

Rei shook her head, smiling at her realization. "I mean with our powers. Love and Passion. Mars and Venus. They always find each other, remember?"

Minako's expression changed from confusion to tenderness, then a sudden blazing intensity. She nodded and faced Zoicite again. She dropped her scimitar, bringing her hands together. Rei dropped both her weapons as well, moving to wrap her arms around Minako from behind. She put her hands over the blonde's and concentrated.

"Now," Minako breathed. A golden chain materialized and shot toward the General from her hands. Just as it reached him, Rei tightened her grip slightly and it burst into blazing crimson flames. Zoicite's eyes widened as the projectile shattered the front of his armor, shot straight through him and vanished. He opened his mouth in a silent scream but all that came out was dark acrid smoke. He dropped to his knees and keeled forward, barely twitching as he died.

Minako twisted in Rei's arms, facing her in amazement. "How…?"

Rei shrugged, pulling her into a hug. For a moment, she simply drank in the warmth and safety of the other girl's arms. Then the sounds of the continuing battle returned to her and she straightened. Their eyes met in a silent understanding and, side by side, they charged through the curtain.

"Endymion!"

Rei's gaze shot to the edge of the balcony, where the Princess was standing, screaming. She looked around, but saw no sign of the Earth Prince, or his General.

"It's alright, Serenity," Rei soothed as she approached the blonde. "He can't hurt you here." She laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, but Serenity shook her off.

"What happened?" Minako demanded, approaching them. "Where did General Kunzite go?"

Serenity's lip began to tremble. "He's gone," she replied in a shaky whisper.

Relief rushed through Rei as the words registered. She wiped the sweat from her face with a corner of her cloak as she stared out past the courtyard. She could see the crumbling remains of the outer wall, and the uneven Lunar horizon beyond. A faint light flickered and she tensed as a dark blue flaming projectile sailed over the wall and impacted the side of the palace. "What…?" she whispered half to herself, squinting to get a better look. Then she realized that the jagged line she'd been seeing was the remainder of the Earth army. Between the dark shapes, she saw the distinct lines of a half-dozen trebuchets. Even as she recognized them, another one launched a fiery ball at the palace.

"We've got to go back in," she informed the two blondes. "It's not safe out here."

"It's not safe anywhere," Serenity wailed. "Endymion said he'd protect me. He said he loved me! And now he's gone!"

Rei met Minako's exasperated stare. They didn't have time for this. "Serenity," Minako tried in a voice of practiced calm, "what happened on Earth was a long time ago. Right now we-"

Serenity stepped back sharply and stared hard at the other blonde. "I'm not talking about Earth." Minako raised her eyebrows in surprise, then shot a pleading look at Rei. Serenity followed her gaze, eyes hard. "My mother let him come to the ball."

Rei bit back the snarled response she was about to utter. However, her reaction was enough. "So it's true? He's been here all along?" Serenity demanded in a deadly whisper.

Minako moved so she was facing the Princess. "Where did he go? He could still be a danger to you, and it's our duty to protect you." The two stood staring at each other for a long moment.

Rei looked down at the grounds again. The air around them was becoming obscured by smoke and she could barely see the shadows as they passed over the crumbling remains of the wall. "Can't we talk about this later?" Rei reasoned, looking between them.

Neither girl moved or acknowledged her at first. Finally Minako grimaced and looked away. "I'm sorry. When he was captured, we didn't know what his motives were for coming here."

"But you knew that he was here!" Serenity shouted furiously. "You knew all along, Venus! All of you did and you never told me!"

Minako's eyes narrowed to slits at the use of her formal title. Rei raised her eyebrows in surprise as her attention shifted to the princess as well. She could only remember her referring to any of them by their planets once. Ironically, that had been because of the Earth Prince as well. Her mouth twisted to a scowl at the memory and she stepped back, keeping between them and the curtain.

"We didn't have a choice," Minako spat bitterly, glaring at the other girl. "They didn't give us one."

"And no one gave me a choice either!" Serenity sniffled, wiping angrily at her streaming eyes. "Don't you think I would have done things differently if I'd known how little time we had left?"

Rei saw the slight change in Minako's stance, the twitch of her mouth, and knew the other girl had finally been pushed too far. She placed a hand on the armored shoulder, but the blonde didn't seem to notice. "You! You, Princess?" Minako screamed. "We gave up everything for you! Everything! Look what it's brought us!"

Serenity's eyes swept past the balcony briefly, taking in the smoke and rubble below them. The ground shook again as the trebuchets launched another volley. She shook her head in quiet denial, but couldn't seem to form words. Minako's lips twisted to a humorless smirk, as though proven right by the other girl's silence.

"We really should get back inside," Rei said softly, looking between them.

"What's the point," Serenity said sullenly. Her blue eyes filled with tears again. "Look around, they've already won."

"They're all here coming after you," Minako snapped. "You're still alive so they haven't won yet."

Rei cringed as Serenity's head snapped back around to her guard. "What do you mean by that?"

Minako bit her lip, realizing belatedly that she'd said too much. "Nothing," she murmured.

"It's not nothing," Serenity insisted, catching her shoulder and pushing her back. "For once, tell me the truth!"

The irony was too much to bear. Rei dropped her gaze back to the scene below them, watching as the blue-black balls carved paths through the smoke and crashed against the inner walls of the palace.

"We gave up everything to protect you," Minako bit out. "We left our families, our lives to come here and guard you from this." She made a sweeping gesture and Serenity flinched away. "They forced us to give up our own happiness for you."

"What have _you _had to give up? You've still got Rei, and now I've lost Endymion forever."

"Endymion was using you to get at your mother's crystal!" Minako shouted, taking a menacing step closer to the Princess. "And you don't know the first thing about real love _or_ sacrifice!"

Suddenly, Serenity let out a pained cry and lunged forward, catching Minako by the shoulders. Rei growled softly and forced herself between them, trying to hold them away from each other.

"I'll never forgive you, Venus!" Serenity screamed, trying to reach around Rei.

"Good, Princess," Minako snarled from her other side, "because neither will I!"

Both girls pressed closer, trying to get past her to each other. Rei looked up, trying to think of something helpful to say, when she saw one of the dark fireballs hurtling right toward them. Time seemed to slow as she looked at each of them. Serenity: the girl she'd sworn on her honor as a Martian to protect. Minako: the girl who was her heart and soul, the one she would love forever. She knew she couldn't choose.

"Look out!" With all of her strength, Rei pushed both girls away from her. On the edges of her vision, she saw them both fall in opposite corners of the balcony. A split second later, the projectile hit and the world exploded in fire.


	33. Finale

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon

-Luna-

-1 Luna skirted along the edge of the ballroom, doing her best to avoid the myriad of corpses littering the ground. Many of the lights had gone out, casting eerie shadows on the devastation. Setsuna had said that the Princess and her guards were still here and she found herself praying that the woman was right. Ahead of her, a set of curtains was blown back as something exploded outside. A moment later, she heard a chillingly familiar voice scream.

She ran toward the sound of Serenity's voice, but stopped just outside the curtain. Artemis was approaching from the other direction and she waited until he skidded to a halt in front of her. "Did you find them?" he asked, breathing hard.

She nodded and wordlessly gestured to the curtain. Quietly, they shifted the heavy curtain aside and looked out. Luna gasped softly. The majority of the balcony had been destroyed, leaving little more than a charred, crumbling platform that dropped off into the hellish fires in the courtyard. Three girls were lying amid the rubble.

Luna started in, but Artemis put a paw in front of her. "Wait." She looked at him angrily, but he simply gestured for her to watch.

Serenity was the first to sit up, brushing futilely at the dust on her ruined dress. She looked around, dazed, then her gaze fell on the other two. Coughing on the thick smoke, she crawled toward the still, dark figure. "Rei?" She tentatively touched an armored shoulder, then scooted closer. "Rei, can you hear me?"

Luna glanced sadly at Artemis. They were too late. It was time to report back to the Queen. A gasping breath caught their attention and they watched as Serenity pulled the Martian into her lap.

"Rei, why did you do that?" Serenity asked quietly, tears leaving streaking trails through the soot and dust on her cheeks. Rei coughed and Luna cringed when she saw the trickle of blood sliding from the corner of her lips to stain the Princess's white dress.

"It's my duty to protect you, Princess," she replied in a choked whisper.

Serenity let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. "You know you're always too serious." The Martian smiled back but it quickly became a grimace of pain.

"We should help them," Artemis whispered, watching the exchange.

Luna rubbed her face against his neck soothingly. "There's nothing we can do now. Setsuna was right, we failed a long time ago." Artemis sighed but said nothing.

"You know," Serenity continued, "I've always wondered what these are for." She ran her fingers along the three braids that hung at the Martian's temple.

"They're for my heart," Rei responded softly. She took another shaky breath and coughed again, spraying blood. Serenity pulled a white handkerchief from her dress and gently wiped it away.

"Rei?" They looked over to see Minako struggling to her hands and knees. She gasped and stumbled forward to the Martian's side. "Rei," she sobbed, cuddling close to her other side and stroking her face. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Rei rasped out, staring up at the Venusian. She raised a shaky hand to her cheek. "You know I would rather…" her voice trailed off as she took a gasping breath. "…for someone I love…" Her body shuddered, then was still.

Minako buried her face against the black armored chest, hugging her as she sobbed. Serenity didn't move, just continued stroking the raven hair and staring off into the distance.

Luna blinked back tears and looked again at Artemis. "This is our fault," she said softly. He looked away, focusing on the grieving girls. "They trusted us and we were supposed to guide them."

"Their love for each other made them stronger," Artemis agreed sadly. "I wish we'd seen it before it was too late."

When they looked back, Minako was sitting up again and determinedly tugging at the straps of Rei's gauntlet. "What are you doing, Minako?" Serenity asked softly, reaching toward her.

"Don't touch me," Minako said coldly, stopping the other girl. She managed to remove the piece of armor, then yanked her own gauntlet off and threw it over the balcony. Carefully, she fastened the black one onto her wrist and sat back. Wordlessly, she lifted Rei's hand and held it to her cheek. Luna noticed a faded yellow cloth tied around the Martian's pale wrist.

Finally, Minako stood and stepped back. Serenity began to stand as well. "Don't." The Princess stared up at her in confusion. "Stay away from me. This whole kingdom can fall; the whole Empire. I don't care any more."

Luna and Artemis hastily backed away as Minako strode through the curtain. She didn't notice them, simply knelt to pick up her scimitar from between several bodies and walked purposefully toward the stairs.

Luna looked back into the doorway where Serenity was beside Rei and staring, unseeing, out at the ruins of the kingdom. "We need to find the Queen," Artemis said close to her ear. "It's time to end this." Luna nodded and turned away. From behind them, they heard the Princess let out a scream of grief and rage, a single long note. Luna paused but knew they had to keep walking. She forced herself to ignore the sound as Serenity continued to scream, over and over. They had to find the Queen. She was the only one with the power to help them now.

-Setsuna-

Setsuna stood next to Hotaru on the balcony to the Queen's reception room, silently watching the scene below. Directly below them, the charred remnants of the training grounds glowed dully. The gray and white remains of the outer wall were barely visible through the thick cloud of smoke hanging over the grounds. However, from their vantage point they had an unobstructed view of the front gates. Their attention was currently trained there.

"We could just go down there and run her through," Hotaru suggested, tapping the shaft of her glaive against the railing impatiently.

"It wouldn't change anything," Setsuna pointed out. "Too much has been lost already."

Hotaru shrugged sullenly. "It'd make me feel better at least."

Setsuna chuckled softly despite the situation. "Yes, me too." The younger girl's lips twitched in a brief smile. They continued to watch as, far below them, a tiny red haired figure spoke before a small crowd of dark creatures. They were too far away to hear what was being said, but Setsuna could make a fair guess. Now that the defenses had been breached, she was sure Beryl was planning to find the Queen and take her crystal.

Both women turned at the sound of light footfalls down the hallway. Luna and Artemis rounded the corner and stopped in the empty room, looking around. "Where is she?" Artemis asked tiredly.

"What's happened?" Setsuna asked, even though she already knew.

Artemis blinked back frustrated tears. "They're dead," he said flatly.

"Princess Saturn, please excuse me for a moment," she said politely, inclining her head. Hotaru nodded and returned to staring down into the courtyard.

Setsuna didn't speak until the door to the balcony was firmly shut. "You're sure?"

Luna hung her head, allowing her own tears to drip onto the snowy carpet. "We saw Mars… Rei, die. She was on the balcony with Serenity and Minako."

"I found Ami and Makoto as well," Artemis added in a shaking voice. "They must have gotten cut off when the ceiling collapsed. It looked like they put up quite a fight."

Setsuna knelt down and both cats pressed closer to her. She tried to think of something comforting to say, but words failed her as her own vision began to blur. The door beside them opened and all three looked up.

"Hopefully, that will help them understand," Queen Serenity said as she stepped out of the main computer room. She had decided to use the Mercurian computers to leave a last message to her daughter and guards in the future. She met Setsuna's eyes pointedly and smiled sadly. "Is it time?"

Setsuna nodded and the Queen approached, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You did everything you could, all of you."

"No," Luna choked out. "We didn't"

Artemis looked up, eyes shining. "But we will, next time."

Setsuna ran a hand along each of their backs before standing to address the Queen. "Beryl is by the front gates. I'm sure she'll try to make her way up here soon." Queen Serenity nodded and started to turn away, but Setsuna caught her wrist. "My Queen, please, perhaps there is some way to save yourself as well…"

Queen Serenity smiled and cupped her cheek lightly. "We both know there isn't. This way, at least they will have another chance at happiness. Knowing that, and knowing you will watch over them, I can leave this life in peace."

Setsuna nodded again and swallowed the painful lump in her throat. She studied the Queen intently, locking her in her memories. Even though she was pale now and tired, Setsuna would always remember her beautiful and radiant. A woman who was willing to sacrifice her own life for the happiness of those she loved. The Queen smiled once more at her and Setsuna returned it before turning away. She stepped back out to the balcony, leaving Luna and Artemis with the Queen. They would stay with her as she locked the souls safely into the crystal and transferred it's care to her daughter. Now, the time had come to fulfill her own role.

Hotaru tilted her head slightly, but didn't acknowledge her presence further. "Are you ready?" Setsuna asked quietly.

"You're certain this is what you want?" the girl replied softly. "Once all of this is gone, there will be no bringing it back."

Setsuna nodded. Her own task in the Queen's plan was small compared to the girl at her side. She would simply send them all to the future, to a time of peace to give them the chance the Queen so badly wanted them to have. Hotaru's job was to destroy everything left behind.

"Alright then," Hotaru said, turning to her. "I'm ready." Someday, Setsuna knew, she would see them all again. Maybe then she could make up for her failings in this life. Somehow, they would all be happy.

Epilogue:

thousands of years later in Tokyo, Japan

The young miko stared into the roaring flames, trying to grasp the vision that had been eluding her for weeks. It was something important and it had been haunting her every time she'd come to visit the sacred fire. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar city: tall buildings, a clock tower. London? She pulled her sight back and gasped as she caught sight of a young blonde girl standing on a roof's edge.

The image was blurred in places but she could make out a red mask and a strange outfit. Somehow, the girl seemed familiar. She was searching for something, just as the miko had been her whole life. She tried to get a better look but the vision began to slip away. She was only left with impressions: blue eyes and love. And the feeling that this girl knew how to fill the aching hole in her heart…

On the other side of the city, a young girl with blonde pigtails leapt out of bed, realizing she was late for school…

A/N: The End! I hope you've all enjoyed the story. This was my first fan fic and it's been a blast. I'm sure you all noticed that some issues were left unresolved, but that's what sequels are for!

Special Thanks to:

Sailor-Ice

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You guys totally rock! Thanks for the reviews it made this so much more fun to write! Thank you to everyone else who read, it's a pretty great feeling knowing that people like this story :)

See you all in the sequel!


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